C • 

On 


Training'  School 


•••o/ ••• 

Colorado  State 
Normal  School 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/trainingschoolofOOwest 


(W(y  , ^JjxXx— 


Drawings  by 
Colin  A.  Scott 


V 

\ 


1334? 


FACULTY  OF  TRAINING  SCHOOL. 


Z.  X.  Snyder,  Ph.  D.,  President. 

Colin  A.  Scott,  Ph.  D.,  Superintendent  of  Training 
School. 

Royal  W.  Bullock,  Principal  of  High  School. 

Eliza  George  Kleinsorge,  Supervisor  Grammar 
Grade. 

Elizabeth  H.  Kendal,  Pd.  M.,  Supervisor  Gram- 
mar Grade. 

Eleanor  M.  Phillips,  Pd.M.,  Supervisor  Primary  Grade. 
Bella  B.  Sibley,  Pd.  B.,  Supervisor  Primary  Grade. 
Bertha  M.  Andrews,  Supervisor  Kindergarten. 

ASSOCIATE  SUPERVISORS. 

James  H.  Hays,  M.  A.,  Latin  and  History. 

Louise  Hannum,  Ph.  D.,  Literature  and  English. 
Arthur  E.  Beardsley,  M.  S.,  Biology  and  Kature 
Study. 

Douglas  D.  Hugh,  A.  M.,  Physiology. 

Anna  M.  Heileman,  Reading  and  Physical  Culture. 
Harriet  Day,  Art. 

Katherine  Clute,  Domestic  Science. 

Samuel  M.  Hadden,  Pd.  B.,  Manual  Work,  Sloyd. 
Frank  L.  Abbott,  B.  S.,  Physical  Science. 

Grace  LI.  Sproull,  Ph.  B.,  History,  Literature. 

John  T.  Lister,  A.  B.,  Modern  Languages. 

David  L.  Arnold,  A.  M.,  Mathematics. 

W.  E.  Stiffey,  Music. 


INTRODUCTION. 

By  Colin  A.  Scott,  Superintendent  of  Training  School. 


“Freedom  Consists  in  Binding  Oneself 

¥ N the  present  bulletin  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  offer 
* to  its  readers,  as  briefly  as  possible,  not  merely  a work- 
ing outline,  but  a glimpse  of  the  inner  life  and  spirit  of  the 
Training  School.  As  President  Snyder  has  already  well 
held  (in  his  paper  to  the  IT.  E.  A.),  “The  Training  School 
is  the  center  of  life  and  interest  in  a Modern  Normal 
School.”  As  the  teacher  exists  for  the  child  so  do  the  de- 
partments of  the  Normal  School  primarily  exist  for  the 
sake  of  the  independent  culture  of  the  teacher  in  training, 
however  desirable  that  may  be,  but  to  equip  her  to  play  her 
part  to  the  best  advantage  in  the  Training  School. 

Like  all  altruistic  positions  this  means  a widening, 
rather  than  a narrowing  of  the  teacher’s  possibilities.  Her 
aim  becomes  not  merely  to  develop  the  human  in  her  own 
breast,  but  to  develop  the  large  and  universal  humanity  as 
she  finds  it  in  the  hearts  of  many.  The  reflex  effects  of  this 
objective  attitude  on  her  own  character  is,  perhaps,  more 
powerful  than  are  the  results  of  any  mere  subjective  aspira- 
tion. 

The  keynote  of  such  a school  is  thus  one  of  co-opera- 
tion among  both  teachers  and  pupils.  A mutual  aim  is  set 


6 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


up  and  a combined  production  results,  in  which  each  con- 
tributes to  the  extent  of  his  ability.  Not  the  equality  of  as- 
signed tasks,  but  a construction,  whether  mental,  social,  or 
material,  which  calls  for  differences  of  effort,  and  natural 
degrees  of  appreciation.  The  increasing  socialization  of 
the  school  does  not  tend  to  any  leveling  up  or  leveling  down. 
The  rule  is  rather — whosoever  is  strong  among  us,  let  him 
help  the  others. 

The  various  ways  in  which  this  is  carried  out  are  indi- 
cated in  the  different  signed  articles  by  members  of  the 
Training  School  staff.  Owing  to  unavoidable  limits  of 
space,  emphasis  is  laid  on  certain  features,  which,  not  al- 
ways because  they  are  better,  but  rather  because  they  are 
not  so  familiar,  have  seemed  to  require  greater  elaboration. 
In  order  to  make  up  for  this  to  some  degree,  there  have  been 
appended  brief  outlines  in  the  form  of  courses  of  study.  As, 
however,  will  be  readily  gathered,  the  school  does  not  pro- 
ceed from  the  standpoint  of  a course  of  study  to  which  the 
children  and  teachers  constantly  subject  themselves,  but 
rather  from  the  standpoint  of  the  persons  composing  the 
school,  by  whom  the  course  of  study  is  being  constantly 
formed  and  reconstructed,  as  blood  is  constantly  being 
changed  within  the  tissues  of  a living  animal.  It  is  only 
in  the  case  of  children  without  initiative,  and  in  the  case  of 
teachers  without  initiative  or  constructive  capacity,  that 
the  course  of  study  is  injected  in  a less  plastic  form.  A 
course  of  study  is  a plan  of  life,  and  those  who  are  to  live 
the  life  should  at  least  share  in  the  making  of  the  plan. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


7 


While  the  first  function  of  the  Training  School  is  to 
enable  the  teacher  in  training  to  work  out  successful  re- 
sults in  the  actual  present  conditions  of  the  school,  and  not 
to  imagine  that  she  is  in  some  other  school  whether  better 
or  worse,  the  next  most  important  function  is  to  enable 
her  to  see  the  problems  which  lie  before  her  when  she  leaves 
her  present  environment  and  gets,  as  the  phrase  goes,  “a 
school  of  her  own.”  The  conditions  she  will  there  meet  are 
necessarily  different  from  those  she  finds  in  the  Training 
School,  conditions  too  which  it  would  be  idle  to  attempt  to 
imitate.  What  remains  the  same  is  always  the  spirit,  which 
if  she  has  divined  it  under  the  more  transparent  letters  of 
the  present  aided  and  protected  life,  she  will  be  strong  to 
apply  in  whatever  future  she  may  be  placed. 

At  the  same  time  efforts  are  not  spared  in  the  semi- 
nars and  in  private  conferences  to  present  in  a comparative 
manner  the  conditions  the  teacher  will  need  to  meet,  and 
to  advise  her  as  to  hopeful  methods  of  procedure.  Once  a 
week,  too,  there  are  invited  to  the  school  successful  educa- 
tors, school  superintendents,  High  School  principals,  in 
whose  addresses  the  students  are  able  to  see  reflected  the  ed- 
ucational ideas  and  conditions  to  be  found  in  every  region 
of  the  State.  Such  efforts  are,  however,  subordinate  to  the 
main  notion,  which  never  regards  the  teacher  as  a cog  in  a 
wheel,  unfitted  for  any  machine  for  which  she  may  have 
one  cog  too  many  or  too  few,  but  which  conceives  her  rather 
as  a self-active,  fraternal  personality,  organic,  vital,  capa- 
ble of  self -adjustment,  but  still  more  capable  of  progress 
and  of  growth. 


8 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


THE  TEACHER  IN  TRAINING. 

By  Colin  A.  Scott. 


T^IyOM  one  point  of  view  the  Normal  School  exists  for 
* the  sake  of  the  teacher  in  training.  Her  needs  as  a 
teacher  are,  however,  not  opposite,  hut  simply  the  comple- 
ment of  the  needs  of  the  children. 

The  supreme  aim  of  the  ideal  Training  School  is 
to  show  the  teacher  the  organic  unity  that  exists  between 
herself  and  her  pupils,  so  that  she  may  feel  and  realize  the 
feeling,  that  her  life  is  theirs,  and  theirs  in  no  less  degree 
is  hers;  and  that  whatsoever  she  does,  whether  she  eat  or 
drink,  she  does  all  to  the  glory  of  development. 

The  road  to  such  a result  begins  on  somewhat  stony 
ground.  By  the  beginner  all  teaching  is  divided  into  two 
parts — authority,  and  other  things.  In  this  respect  she 
repeats  the  history  of  the  race  of  teachers,  and  for  that  part, 
of  civilized  humanity  itself.  That  she  should  he  found  at 
this  stage  of  development  is  naturally  to  be  expected. 

The  training  school  does  not  aim  to  disabuse  her  mind 
of  this  initial  importance  of  authority.  It  rather  empha- 
sizes and  reinforces  it.  Good  or  at  least  fair  results  have 
been  obtained  when  everything  in  the  school  life  of  the 
child  has  been  mapped  out  for  him  by  presumably  wiser 
heads  than  his,  when  obedience  is  regarded  as  the  crowning 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


9 


virtue  of  the  school,  if  not  of  life,  and  where  liberty  and 
its  organization  is  left  to  the  play-ground  and  the  home. 

Where,  however,  the  school  essays  a large  life,  the 
problem  is  not  simply  to  throw  authority  overboard,  but  to 
find  its  most  advantageous  limitations,  to  discover  how  in  a 
kingdom  of  grace  the  law  may  be  fulfilled  as  well  as  super- 
seded. Helpful  in  this  respect  is  the  formula  so  well  ex- 
ploited by  Bosanquet : “Use  authority  only  to  prevent  hind- 
rances.” Honestly  applied  this  means  hindrances  not  only 
in  the  mind  of  the  teacher  but  also  in  the  minds  of  as  many 
as  possible  of  the  pupils.  They  must  therefore  feel  that 
there  is  something  that  is  worth  while  going  on  in  every 
recitation.  The  individual  who  hinders  this  may  not  feel 
at  the  moment  its  worth  to  himself,  but  the  facts  should  be 
so  that  the  teacher  could  easily  show  him  that  others  of  his 
comrades  realize  its  worth,  and  sympathize  with  the  teach- 
er’s effort  to  protect  their  best  interests. 

When  no  pupil  feels  that  what  is  going  on  is  really 
worth  while,  the  disturber  becomes  a sort  of  revolutionary 
savior  not  agreeable  to  the  teacher  but  perhaps  not  without 
benefit  to  the  school.  A desirable  feeling  is  easily  obtained 
in  a school  that  is  normal;  in  a reform  school  or  peniten- 
tiary it  might  be  different  in  which  case  the  hindrance  to 
be  stopped  or  prevented  is  to  be  regarded  as  applying  to 
what  is  going  on  outside  of  the  school  in  the  normal  pro- 
cesses of  society. 

If  something  is  to  go  on  that  is  felt  to  be  worth  while 
by  the  children,  the  aim  or  end  as  far  as  it  exists  or  can 
be  got  to  exist  in  their  minds  is  the  first  consideration. 


10 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


This  is  both  more  practical  and  more  difficult  than  any 
statement  of  aim  as  it  exists  in  the  mind  of  the  teacher. 
Such  an  aim  may  be  ever  so  soaring  but  yet  entirely  fail  to 
work.  A thought  by  which  the  teacher  is  asked  to  test  her- 
self is  this : “At  any  time  during  the  course  of  the  recita- 
tion whatever  the  pupil  may  be  doing  if  I could  get  a com- 
plete answer  or  look  into  his  heart,  would  it  yield  me  the 
aim  as  I have  it  written  in  my  plan?”  How  often  to  the 
question,  “What  are  you  doing  this  for  V9  would  one  get  the 
answer,  “I  don’t  know  V9 

If,  however,  the  teacher  in  training  believes,  to  such 
a question  the  answer  would  be,  “Because  I have  to,”  “Be- 
cause the  teacher  told  me  to,”  “Because  I want  to  pass,” 
she  is  encouraged  to  put  these  aims  down  in  her  plan,  as  the 
real  aims  which  the  children  are  working  for.  Generally, 
in  such  cases  it  is  not  long  before  the  teacher  is  able  to  in- 
vent an  aim  which  is  more  satisfactory  both  to  herself  and 
to  the  children.  Work  of  this  kind  is  described  at  length 
in  the  articles  in  this  Bulletin  by  Mrs.  Kleinsorge  and 
Mrs.  Sibley. 

From  this  standpoint  it  is  but  a step  to  the  further  one 
where  the  children  are  regarded  as  capable  of  inventing 
aims  for  themselves.  This  is  no  doubt  possible  to  a limited 
extent  in  work  which  is  outlined  by  the  teacher,  in  which 
the  children  may  invent  details.  But  there  is  something 
liberating  in  the  consciousness  of  what  is  thought  or  felt 
to  be  a whole  activity — something  that  is  up  to  the  full  level 
of  the  planning  and  organizing  power  of  the  individual, 
and  which  if  he  has  any  capacity  for  will  at  all  he  must  in- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


11 


vent  for  himself.  This  is  not  a power  for  which  a genius 
is  necessary,  but  something  which  should  be  the  possession 
of  every  citizen  of  America.  Volition  and  the  constructive 
function  is  too  much  neglected  even  in  our  schools,  better 
as  they  are  in  this  respect  than  those  of  Germany  or  F ranee 
at  least.  The  work  described  by  Miss  Phillips  focuses  at- 
tention on  this  feature  of  the  Training  School. 

Further  than  the  immediate  work  and  observation  in 
the  training  school  the  teacher  has  the  more  mediate  func- 
tion of  preparing  and  improving  herself  by  reading  and  re- 
flection, and  by  comparison  and  co-operation  with  others 
who  work  with  the  children.  In  the  first  place  the  teachers 
in  every  grade  are  not  held  to  be  severally  responsible  for 
merely  their  own  individual  work,  but  each  is  responsible 
for  the  whole  grade.  To  this  end  she  must  find  out,  by 
observation  and  in  meetings  held  for  that  purpose,  what  is 
being  done  in  the  whole  grade.  Team-work,  as  on  the  foot- 
ball field,  is  thought  to  be  the  most  effective  both  for  teacher 
and  for  pupils.  If  one  person  fumbles  the  ball  another 
carries  it  on. 

In  order  that  this  may  be  carried  out  with  the  fullest 
degree  of  voluntary  responsibility  an  interesting  resolution 
has  been  adopted  by  all  but  a very  small  minority  of  the 
teachers  in  training.  They  have  agreed  that  their  standing 
in  the  department  of  pedagogy  shall  be  partly  determined 
by  their  own  judgment  of  each  other’s  work.  To  this  end 
a written  test  is  called  for  at  such  times  as  they  think  best, 
in  which  each  teacher  writes  out  an  account  of  her  progress 
in  as  far  as  she  can  ascribe  it  in  any  significant  way  to  her 


12 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


fellow  teachers.  These  recommendations  or  appreciations 
are  to  he  collected  and  classified  by  a committee  elected 
from  their  own  number,  with  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Training  School,  and  a report  to  be  made  upon  the  stand- 
ing, necessarily  not  of  a mathematical  character,  of  each 
teacher.  Each  teacher  thus  feels  that  the  work  of  helping 
other  teachers,  co-operating  with  her,  is  part  of  her  duty  in 
the  school. 

It  is  also  part  of  her  opportunity.  As  a piece  of  train- 
ing it  provides  not  only  that  she  shall  be  equipped  for  some 
subordinate  position  in  the  school,  able  to  get  along  with  h^r 
children,  although  always  under  the  direction  of  someone 
else,  but  that  she  shall  get  some  chance  of  training  for  the 
higher  positions  also,  where  a responsibility  will  devolve 
upon  her  as  principal  or  superintendent,  not  only  to  judge 
as  to  the  merits  of  her  assistants  but  to  tactfully  yet  effect- 
ively help  them  to  improve.  An  increase  of  judgment, 
mercy,  and  faith,  is  not  undesirable  in  such  a relationship. 

As  a consequence  of  this  attitude  the  pedagogical  semi- 
nars are  partly  given  over  to  the  individuals  either  singly, 
or  as  is  more  common,  in  groups,  who  believe  they  have 
something  to  say  or  to  discuss,  gained  either  from  reading 
or  experience,  which  will  be  new  and  helpful  to  other  mem- 
bers of  the  class. 

A bit  of  real  life,  an  act  or  a thing  has  probably  in  it 
more  principles  than  are  able  to  be  taken  out  of  it  or  be  de- 
fined. And  yet  it  is  found  helpful  by  most  thinkers  and 
workers  to  formulate  what  seems  of  a general  character.  It 
is  with  this  view  that  I append  as  a summary  the  following 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


13 


propositions,  the  last  of  which  is  no  less  important  than 
the  first.  These,  although  dogmatically  stated  may  help  to 
throw  some  further  light  not  only  upon  this  article,  but 
upon  others  in  the  Bulletin. 

PEDAGOGICAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

1.  Every  child  is  an  end  in  itself;  it  does  not  exist 
for  the  sake  of  gaining  knowledge,  power  or  skill,  these 
things  exist  for  it. 

2.  Planning  with  the  children  is  better  than  plan- 
ning for  them. 

3.  Other  people  than  those  actually  in  the  school 
room  make  plans  for  the  life  of  the  school,  the  parents,  the 
trustees,  the  taxpayers,  great  educators  in  this  country  and 
abroad.  They  have  a right  to  do  this  in  proportion  as  they 
are  willing  to  participate  in  or  in  proportion  as  their  lives 
are  affected  materially  or  spiritually  by  the  life  of  the 
school,  but  those  whose  lives  are  affected  most  should  be 
permitted  to  have  the  first  opportunity  in  the  making  of  the 
plans.  In  as  far  as  there  is  real  life  in  the  school  room 
those  who  live  the  life  should  make  the  plans. 

4.  Present  Need — That  the  children  be  given  an  op- 
portunity to  feel  that  they  are  the  causes  of  a larger  num- 
ber of  the  events  which  fill  their  lives. 

5.  The  children  should  ask  a large  if  not  the  larger 
part  of  the  questions.  Applied  to  science  this  means  that 
the  children  should  invent  many  of  the  experiments.  A 
real  experiment  is  a question  asked  of  nature.  The  person 


14 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


who  makes  it  expects  to  discover  something.  In  jour  last 
science  lesson  how  many  experiments  did  your  children 
invent  ? 

6.  The  individual  who  “recites”  or  speaks  or  acts  in 
the  presence  of  a class  or  group,  in  a large  number  of  cases 
should  feel  that  he  is  a social  organ.  This  is  not  attained 
when  the  individual  feels  that  he  is  merely  “expressing” 
himself  without  reference  to  others.  Such  self  expression 
tends  to  conceit  and  rivalry,  or  timidity  or  backwardness  on 
the  part  of  those  who  do  not  assert  themselves.  It  trains 
“showing  off,”  “self  consciousness”’  and  pride  of  know- 
ledge. In  your  last  lesson  how  often  did  you  find  any  child 
addressing  any  one  but  yourself  ? Was  he  telling  you  any- 
thing which  he  supposed  you  did  not  know  ? If  not,  what 
good  did  he  suppose  he  was  doing  you  ? What  good  did  he 
suppose  he  was  doing  any  one  else  ? 

7.  In  a recitation  a child  feels  that  he  is  a social 
organ  when  he  finds  that  he  is  speaking  or  acting  for  other 
people.  This  may  arise  when  he  says  something  which  he 
has  reason  to  believe  other  people  want  or  need  to  hear,  or 
when  he  says  for  others  something  that  they  wish  to  have 
said.  The  game  of  “Find  the  Button”  when  the  children 
clap  softly  or  loudly  as  one  of  their  number  draws  nearer 
the  object  of  his  search,  illustrates  the  feeling  of  being  a 
social  organ.  The  whole  class  is  interested  in  the  action  of 
the  individual  whom  they  have  chosen  to  find  the  button 
because  they  feel  that  they  are  largely  the  cause  of  his 
failure  or  success.  All  recitations  should  have  in  them  an 
element  of  “Find  the  Button.” 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


15 


8.  A child  needs  to  be  associated  with  other  children 
in  a group  in  order  to  feel  his  influence  and  in  order  to  ob- 
tain natural  influences  from  others.  The  size  of  the  group 
should  be  proportioned  to  the  child’s  ability  to  exert  in- 
fluences or  feel  himself  a cause  in  the  social  field.  This  is 
necessary  from  the  standpoint  of  fatigue  as  well  as  from 
that  of  effective  work.  The  size  of  this  group  will  be  best 
obtained  by  allowing  the  children  to  form  it  for  themselves. 
Such  a group  will  last  only  as  long  as  will  be  necessary  to 
carry  out  the  work  for  which  it  was  organized. 

9.  In  order  to  feel  themselves  causes,  the  children 
must  make  the  whole  of,  or  part  of  the  plans. 

10.  In  as  far  as  the  children  make  the  plans,  the 
teacher’s  business  is  to  help,  both  in  the  designing  of  them 
and  the  carrying  of  them  out.  The  teacher  who  stands  off 
for  fear  of  destroying  the  originality  of  the  children,  is 
really  destroying  their  effectiveness. 

11.  The  feasibility  of  the  plan  is  the  first  considera- 
tion. This  must  be  measured  by  actual  conditions  as  found 
in  the  lives  of  the  children.  When  proposed  by  the  chil- 
dren the  teacher  may  judge  the  plan  not  worthy  of  being 
carried  out.  She  may  not  think  the  work  proposed  suffi- 
ciently educative.  She  should  express  this  view  freely  to 
the  children,  yet  not  so  dogmatically  as  to  crush  expression 
on  their  part.  In  the  discussion  the  children  may  convince 
her  that  the  work  is  worth  while.  If  not,  however,  she 
should  be  free  to  exercise  the  right  of  veto.  A broadly 
educated  teacher  will  probably  find  it  rarely  necessary  to 
exercise  this  right. 


16 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


1 2.  It  is  better,  and  felt  to  be  better  by  the  children, 
when  something  is  accomplished,  even  under  compulsion, 
gentle  or  otherwise,  than  when  nothing  or  even  nothing  of 
consequence  is  accomplished. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


17 


PARENTS’  MEETINGS. 

Colin  A.  Scott. 


'TpHE  connection  of  the  home  is  from  many  standpoints 
one  of  the  most  desirable  features  of  a modern  school. 
A gradute  of  a Normal  School  of  nine  years’  training,  once 
said  to  me : “I  do  not  now  teach  as  well  as  I know  how,  but 
only  as  well  as  they’ll  let  me.”  This  antagonism  between 
the  school  and  the  community  of  which  it  is  a part  is  most 
unfortunate  and  devitalizing  for  both  sides.  If  the  teacher 
is  to  organize  her  school  socially  or  even  for  the  benefit  of 
society,  she  must  carry  along  contemporaneously  a social 
organization  of  the  community  in  so  far  as  it  touches  the 
school.  She  must  awaken  the  desires  of  the  fathers  and 
mothers,  and  of  others  interested  in  education,  for  better 
things  in  the  school.  It  is  a law  of  life  that  one  has  more 
interest  in  persons  or  even  in  inanimate  things  in  propor- 
tion as  he  does  something  for  them.  The  teacher  should 
encourage  even  small  aids,  and  these  should  be  from  the 
start  of  a moral  and  psychological  character  rather  than 
always  confined  to  the  material  side.  The  teacher  might 
well  meet  the  hurtful  meddling  on  the  part  of  some  parents 
and  trustees  by  previously  inviting  their  helpful  criticism 
of,  and  co-operation  in,  her  working  plans.  Such  a teacher 
might  well  say,  “I  teach  as  well  as  I am  encouraged  by  all 
my  friends.” 


18 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


For  the  purpose  of  awakening  an  interest  in  the  Train- 
ing School,  parents’  meetings  are  held  several  times  a year 
at  which  a program  is  offered.  Stereopticon  slides  are 
shown,  explaining  and  illustrating  the  work  of  the  school, 
and  a reception  is  held,  during  which  the  parents  meet  the 
teachers  in  training,  and  discuss  the  progress  of  the  chil- 
dren under  their  charge.  These  meetings  have  proved 
helpful,  not  only  in  interesting  the  parents,  but  have  served 
as  a sort  of  review,  in  which  the  school  finds  itself  por- 
trayed, and  thus  rises  to  a higher  consciousness  of  its  value 
and  its  work. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


19 


THE  KINDERGARTEN. 

By  Bertha  Matson  Andrews. 


'HERE  is  an  old  story  from  India 
of  fonr  blind  men  who  were  led 
one  at  a time,  np  to  an  elephant 
and  asked  to  tell  what  they  felt. 
The  first  one  touched  the  ele- 
phant’s ear  and  said  it  was  a great  fan;  another 
touched  his  leg  and  said  it  was  a strong  pillar ; the 
third  felt  of  his  trunk  and  said  it  was  a palm  tree ; 
and  the  fourth  felt  of  the  elephant’s  side  and  said 
it  was  a great  wall.  They  then  told  these  blind 
men  that  they  had  each  felt  different  parts  of  the 
same  thing  and  had  judged  according  to 
their  limited  perceptions. 

When  the  High  School  professor,  the 
chemistry  specialist,  the  Fourth  Grade 
teacher  and  the  kindergartner  consider 
their  own  department  as  a unit,  with  no 
thought  of  its  relation  to  the  organic  whole, 
we  have  fair  prototypes  of  these  blind 
men  of  India.  But  while  specialists 
abound  in  these  days,  both  outside  and  in- 
side school  houses,  there  never  has  been  a 
time  when  there  was  such  universal  peek- 


20 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


ing  into  one  another’s  educational  back  yards.  University 
professors  are  devoting  their  most  earnest  study  to  babies 
and  kindergarten,  and  primary  teachers  are  struggling 
with  anthropology  and  bacteriology.  That  still  further  co- 
operation is  necessary  is  conceded  by  all. 

The  heart  of  the  public  school  system  should  be  the 
Normal  School.  The  heart  of  the  Normal  School  should 
be  the  Training  School  and  the  heart  of  the  Training 
School  should  be  the  Kindergarten. 

That  kindergarten  training  schools  are  established  in 
62  of  the  176  Normal  Schools  of  the  country  is  the  most 
prophetic  sign  of  the  kindergarten  progress,  that  we  have 
in  America.  Someone  has  said,  “The  day  has  happily  now 
passed  when  the  kindergarten  dare  take  its  stand  on  the 
sympathetic,  charitable  or  sociological  foundation  alone. 
It  may  be  all  or  any  of  these  but  to  be  worthy  a place  of 
true  dignity  in  the  educational  world  it  must  be  pedagog- 
ical.” 

There  is  no  denying  the  poignancy  of  that  criticism, 
which  has  been  hurled  at  kindergartners,  concerning  their 
self-satisfaction  and  tendency  to  consider  themselves  spe- 
cially ordained  and  set  apart  from  the  great  mass  of  teach- 
ers. Kindergartners  are  considered  by  even  their  most  bit- 
ter opponents  to  have  unusual  enthusiasm  for  their  work. 
While  they  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  that  quality,  is 
there  not  the  danger  that  they  conceive  of  the  kindergarten 
as  the  entire  elephant,  whereas  it  is  but  the  legs  ? The 
proper  adjustment  of  the  kindergarten  in  its  relation  to  all 
education,  I believe,  will  be  approximated  by  the  establish- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


21 


lnent  of  kindergarten  training  school  in  vital  connection 
with  training  schools  for  other  teachers,  and  at  the  same 
time,  this  establishment  will  tend  to  place  the  kindergarten 
upon  a firmer  pedagogical  foundation.  This  alliance  is 
true  of  other  professional  training  schools ; schools  of  medi- 
cine, dentistry  and  law  are  becoming  closely  connected 
with  great  universities.  Greater  power  is  possible  from 
such  relationship. 

The  kindergarten  students  in  this  school  have  in  their 
Junior  year,  English,  Nature  Study,  Psychology,  Peda- 
gogy, Art  and  Physical  Culture  in  classes  with  the  regular 
Normal  students ; hence  in  no  way  are  these  subjects  seen 
from  the  kindergarten  standpoint  alone.  To  adjust  kin- 
dergarten spectacles  to  all  studies  cannot  help  being  nar- 
row, hut  by  looking  at  the  kindergarten  from  the  different 
subjects  point  of  view  a broader,  more  rational  interpre- 
tation is  possible. 

It  matters  not  if  the  student  is  to  teach  literature  to 
high  school  youths,  to  lads  of  four  summers  or  to  eleven- 
year  old  hoys,  the  fundamental  study  should  be  the  same 
and  each  should  know  how  the  other  is  going  to  deal  with 
the  same  subject,  in  order  to  cognate  intelligently.  For  ex- 
ample in  the  study  of  Iliad,  the  preparation,  in  the  form 
of  mythical  stories,  began  in  the  kindergarten  and  pri- 
mary grades ; the  eighth  grade  teacher  realizing  this  sense 
of  the  setting  which  the  children  have  gained,  is  ready  to 
begin  work  with  the  complete  story. 

The  junior  kindergarten  students  have  some  obser- 
vation in  all  the  grades  and  discuss  the  lessons  observed 


22 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL., 


with  the  practitioner  and  the  special  training  teacher  in 
order  to  actually  see  and  understand,  in  a degree,  each 
part  of  the  great  whole. 

During  their  senior  year  these  young  women  have 
Philosophy  and  History  of  Education,  English  and  Peda- 
gogy,  also  with  the  rest  of  the  seniors  and  half  a year’s 
practice  in  the  primary  grade.  This  practice  work  we  be- 
lieve to  he  of  inestimable  value  to  a well-prepared  kinder- 
gartner.  By  such  experience  she  cannot  only  better  appre- 
ciate the  standpoint,  problems  and  scope  of  the  work  of  the 
primary  teacher  hut  is  better  able  to  realize  what  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  kindergarten  child  for  the  first  grade  should 
be  and  how  to  correlate  her  work,  more  effectively  with  the 
primary. 

The  time  will  come  when  no  primary  teacher  will  be 
considered  thoroughly  prepared  for  her  work,  unless  she  is 
cognizant  of  kindergarten  principles  and  practice  and  it 
is  equally  necessary  that  the  kindergartner  should  know 
of  primary  methods  and  problems. 

Hot  only  is  this  broader  aspect  of  education  possible 
in  a Hormal  School  with  its  opportunities  to  realize  the  re- 
lation the  kindergarten  hears  to  the  whole,  hut  advantage 
is  gained  here  by  the  presence  of  specialists  who  realize  the 
entire  scope  of  the  work  and  at  the  same  time  can  adapt  the 
work  to  the  kindergarten’s  peculiar  requirements.  It  is 
possible  to  attempt  to  cover  too  much  ground  and  we  deem 
it  advisable  to  look  at  some  subjects  purely  from  the  kin- 
dergarten focus.  For  example,  there  is  a half-year’s  course 
in  Sloyd,  which  the  Sloyd  Professor  has  prepared  specially 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


23 


for  the  kindergartners.  In  this  course  they  become  fa- 
miliar with  the  various  tools  and  their  use  and  they  make 
simple  furniture,  garden  tools,  games  and  playthings,  such 
as  children  from  four  to  six  years  of  age  might  be  able  to 
make. 

The  music  specialist  also  gives  work  to  the  kinder- 
gartners with  the  kindergarten  child  in  mind.  The  range 
and  quality  of  the  very  young  voices,  suitable  songs  for  this 
stage,  treatment  of  monotones,  the  importance  of  the  cor- 
rect foundation  of  the  musical  education  are  necessarily 
worked  out,  as  well  as  the  training  of  the  student’s  own 
voice,  which  is  most  advantageous  in  the  small  class. 

Especially  helpful  to  the  kindergartners  is  the  course 
in  Domestic  Science.  By  having  access  to  the  well 
equipped  laboratory  of  the  Normal  the  young  women  have 
actual  experience  in  analyzing  and  cooking  children’s  foods. 
This  course  includes  the  study  of  children’s  diseases  and 
emergencies,  sanitation  and  hygiene,  the  relative  nutritive 
value  of  foods  and  wholesome  menus,  in  fact,  the  whole 
question  of  children’s  dietetics.  The  children  of  the  Nor- 
mal kindergarten,  also  have  advantage  of  these  labora- 
tories. While  we  were  talking  of  the  baker,  we  first  all 
bundled  into  our  kindergarten  coach  and  drove  down  to 
visit  the  rather  ideal  bake-shop  of  Greeley-town,  where  the 
baker  showed  us  his  great  oven  and  all  his  utensils,  treated 
us  to  some  delicious  ginger-cookies  and  told  us  just  how  he 
made  them.  On  the  way  home  we  decided  to  make  some 
cookies  ourselves  and  send  the  baker  cookie  for  cookie.  We 
should  certainly  need  bread  boards  to  roll  them  out  on,  so 


24 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


one  tableful  of  children  went  the  next  day,  to  the  Sloyd 
room,  to  make  them.  The  necessity  of  the  Sloyd  course  was 
brought  forcibly  to  the  seniors  in  that  experiment,  for  the 
young  woman  who  prepared  the  cleats  for  the  boards  sawed 
them  the  wrong  way  of  the  grain  and  twenty  new  cleats  had 
to  be  made.  But  at  last  they  were  finished  and  a group 
of  the  oldest  children  mixed  “the  sugar  and  spice  and  all 
that’s  nice”  with  utmost  care  and  rolled  them  out  on  the 
somewhat  wobbly  boards  and  proceeded  down  to  the  kitchen 
where  they  baked  their  cookies  to  all  stages  of  brownness. 
We  decided  the  baker  excelled  us  in  the  cookie  line  and 
perhaps  he  would  enjoy  a valentine  more  than  our  burned 
results,  but  I doubt  if  the  forty  children  ever  tasted  a sugar 
cookie  which  compared  to  those  of  that  first  tables’  make. 

That  the  New  Education  owes  much  of  its  impetus 
and  success  to  the  realization  of  the  principles  underlying 
the  kindergarten  is  generally  conceded.  The  permeation 
of  the  kindergarten  spirit  throughout  all  grades  and 
branches  of  school  life  cannot  help  but  give  a new  zest  and 
enthusiasm  to  the  erstwhile  routine  conditions. 

This  spirit  is  principally  dispersed  throughout  our 
Normal  School  by  the  young  women  of  the  regular  kinder- 
garten course.  There  is  also  an  elective  class  who  are  fit- 
ting themselves  for  primary  grades  and  devote  five  hours 
a week  to  observation  and  theoretical  work  in  the  kinder- 
garten. The  other  students  slip  in  between  classes  and  get 
a glimpse  of  the  young  child’s  world.  A stray  vacant 
period  in  their  program,  during  the  morning  often  finds 
them  observing  the  games  or  a gift  lesson.  There  is  no 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


25 


compulsion  whatever  in  this  observation  work,  and  the  fact 
that  there  is  scarcely  a moment  that  someone  is  not  visiting 
the  kindergarten,  indicates  the  interest  felt. 

Lectures  upon  Froebehs  philosophy  and  principles,  of 
course  have  their  place,  but  I believe  the  silent  influence  of 
a kindergarten  in  their  midst,  from  which  the  body  of 
students  may  catch  a whiff  of  the  beauty,  spirit  and  value 
of  its  life,  will  do  more  actual  good  in  the  subsequent  edu- 
cational work  of  those  students  than  any  amount  of  theory 
possible.  What  are  some  of  these  influences  which  might 
help  the  Normal  student  in  his  practical  work  ? 

The  freedom,  lack  of  constraint,  in  fact,  the  homey  at- 
mosphere of  a good  Kindergarten  is  generally  the  first 
noticeable  feature.  The  child  wishes  a drink  of  water,  he 
quietly  gets  up  from  the  table  or  leaves  the  games,  without 
disturbing  the  children  or  the  teacher  with  the  ever  present 
raising  of  hands  and  asking  permission,  goes  over  to  the 
low  table,  covered  with  an  oil  cloth  mat,  which  the  children 
wove  for  the  water-pitcher  to  stand  upon,  and  helps  him- 
self. If  another  child  comes  up  at  the  same  time,  the  op- 
portunity to  pour  out  the  water  and  hand  the  cup  to  the 
new-comer,  is  felt  to  he  an  honor. 

If  the  children  need  another  box  of  blocks,  a pair  of 
scissors  or  a stick,  for  the  tongue  of  their  tablet  carts,  they 
are  sent  to  the  cupboard,  to  find  it  themselves.  A stranger 
might  think  there  was  great  confusion  to  see  different  chil- 
dren walking,  even  skipping  about,  but  they  are  learning  to 
wait  upon  themselves  and  surely  the  pedagogical  principle 
that  each  child  should  feel  himself  the  cause  of  as  many 


26 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


events  as  possible,  must  begin  in  tbe  minutest  details,  if 
later  we  can  hope  to  have  him  truly  feel  self-reliance. 

The  small  groups  of  children  about  the  tables,  build- 
ing on  the  floor,  playing  at  the  sand-table,  drawing  at  the 
black-board  either  co-operatively  carrying  out  some  thought 
or  individually  expressing  themselves,  gives  the  thoughtful 
observer  the  suggestion  of  even  older  children  enjoying,  two 
or  three  being  gathered  together  with  the  cord  of  similar 
interests,  rather  than  the  idea  of  age  being  the  chief  point 
in  common  between  the  large  group  of  children. 

The  student  observer  may  see  practical  results  of  child 
study  when  he  finds  upon  opening  the  kindergarten  door, 
not  only  such  groups  as  I have  indicated,  but  one  small 
blue-aproned  girl  playing  by  herself  on  the  floor,  with  a 
doll  and  the  kindergarten  bedstead ; a curly-headed  lad  is 
up  on  the  balcony  with  a picture  book,  but  he  spends  most 
of  the  time-  looking  out  of  the  window  at  the  snowflakes 
fluttering  down;  another  child  is  sleeping  on  the  couch  in 
the  little  adjoining  quiet-room,  which,  by  the  way,  every 
school-room  should  have;  in  another  corner  of  this  quiet- 
room  curled  up  in  the  big  rocker,  is  the  latest  comer  from 
the  home  into  this  garden,  eating  an  apple. 

All  this  is,  of  course,  the  result  of  close  observation  of 
the  children,  and  when  signs  of  fatigue  and  nervousness  are 
shown,  they  are  sent  off  by  themselves.  Records  of  the 
children’s  birth,  home  conditions,  nutrition,  physical  de- 
fects and  characteristics,  with  photographs  of  each  child 
are  kept,  from  the  entrance  into  kindergarten,  and  when 
the  children  pass  on  from  grade  to  grade,  these  records  are 


GREELEY;  COLORADO. 


27 


added  to  and  handed  on  from  one  teacher  to  the  next,  and 
it  is  hoped  the  individual  treatment  which  is  begun  in  the 
kindergarten  may  be  carried  on  through  each  grade. 

The  balcony,  of  which  I spoke,  fills  several  long-felt 
wants.  In  the  first  place  the  windows  of  the  kindergarten 
room  were  so  high  that  only  by  tip-toeing  on  a chair  could 
the  trees  he  seen ; then  we  needed  cupboards  low  enough  to 


easily  take  out  and  put  away  the  material ; we  also  wished 
a place  to  send  a child  who  had  finished  his  work  or  was 
tired ; and  most  of  all  the  fun  of  having  an  up-stairs  with 
some  tiny  banisters  to  slide  down,  a balcony  from  which  to 
wave  to  returning  soldiers,  and  a bed-room  for  our  precious 
doll,  Bluebell  White ! At  present  we  hygienically  have  the 
kitchen  upstairs,  as  one  of  the  hardware  men  of  the  town, 
whose  daughter  is  in  the  kindergarten,  presented  us  with 


28 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


a perfect  cook  stove,  in  which  real  fires  have  been  made  and 
water  has  actually  boiled  thereon. 

One  of  the  most  potent  influences  which  is  felt  in  the 
kindergarten  is  undoubtedly  the  music.  We  have  no  stated 
times  for  singing,  often,  while  at  work  one  child  may  start 
a song  which  is  caught  up  by  the  other  children  at  the  table 
and  then  those  at  the  next  table  join  in,  until  all  catch  the 
spirit  and  sing  because  they  cannot  help  it  and  work  the 
better  for  this  spontaneous  outburst.  It  was  very  cloudy 
during  the  morning  circle  and  we  could  not  sing  good-morn- 
ing to  the  sunshine,  but  while  we  are  having  the  gift  lesson, 
one  child  spies  a ray  of  sunshine  on  the  floor  and  starts  our 
song,  which  all  heartily  join. 

To  take  singing  out  of  most  children’s  lives,  is  like 
taking  sunshine  from  the  day.  They  love  to  sing  and  the 
more  spirit  of  song  we  can  bring  into  our  work,  the  better. 

One  young  woman  who  was  teaching  geography  in  the 
sixth  grade,  heard  the  kindergarten  children  singing  the 
“Miner  Song”  one  morning.  Her  class  was  just  then 
studying  coal  mines,  and  catching  the  rhythm  and  thought 
of  the  song,  she  taught  it  to  those  older  children,  to  whom 
it  gave  an  added  interest  in  the  subject.  Would  it  not  be 
advantageous  to  thus  correlate  singing,  in  so  far  as  possible 
with  all  subjects  throughout  the  grammar  grades,  rather 
than  relegate  it  to  the  accustomary  short  music  period  ? 

The  value  of  the  different  phases  of  instrumental  mu- 
sic as  factors  of  kindergarten  life,  appeals  to  the  thoughtful 
observer.  This  school  being  situated  at  the  edge  of  town, 
the  kindergarten  children  are  carried  to  and  from  by  the 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


29 


coach,  and  so  the  majority  arrive  together.  They  enter  the 
room,  full  of  the  freedom  and  joyousness  of  the  bright 
April  morning  and  our  musician  responds  to  that  feeling 
by  playing  delicately,  yet  with  spirit,  Mendelssohn’s  Spring 
Song;  the  children  seat  themselves  in  the  circle  and  grad- 
ually the  music  changes  from  this  happy  out-doors  atmos- 
phere to  quiet,  reverent  music,  such  as  Handel’s  Largo,  or 
Schubert’s  ftosamonde,  which  prepares  the  child  for  the 
morning  prayer  and  hymn. 

The  observer  cannot  fail  to  realize  what  an  ally  music 
may  be  in  producing  different  moods  in  children,  for  it  is 
found  that  they  respond  readily  to  various  tempos  and  mu- 
sical suggestions. 

Much  might  be  said  in  regard  to  the  music  for  the 
marches,  but  suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  standard  for  that 
branch  of  music,  as  a rule  throughout  schools  is  far  below 
other  musical  standards,  hence  special  emphasis  is  placed 
here  on  the  type  of  marches  played.  Only  music  of  the 
highest  order  is  played  to  our  children,  for  just  as  the  best 
art  and  literature  are  brought  before  them  to  establish  the 
right  standards,  we  believe  they  should  have  and  hear  only 
the  best  in  music.  We  sometimes  say  “We  have  been  tell- 
ing stories  and  now  let  us  ask  the  piano  to  tell  us  one,”  and 
with  no  further  comment,  the  musician  wTill  play  a short  bit 
from,  perhaps,  the  duet  from  Mozart’s  Don  Giovanni,  or 
the  Andante  from  Haydn’s  Surprise  Symphony.  The 
same  story  must  be  repeated  often  to  be  of  any  value  to  the 
child,  but  we  have  frequently  heard  children  humming 
parts  from  the  piano’s  story  after  a few  hearings. 


30 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


No  true  idea  of  the  kindergarten  spirit  could  be  gained 
from  this  rather  general  survey  of  the  work,  were  there  no 
mention  made  of  our  endeavor  to  bring  the  children  closely 
in  touch  with  nature. 

The  absorbing  interest  which  all  children  have  for 
alive,  active  creatures,  their  delight  in  digging  in  the  earth, 
their  pleasure  in  watching  nature’s  phenomena  and  their 
joy  in  just  being  out  of  doors,  is  sufficient  to  justify  Na- 
ture Study,  as  the  point  of  departure  for  the  program 
work.  To  foster  and  broaden  the  children’s  natural  love 
for  nature,  then  underlies  the  thought  from  September 
until  June. 

Froebel  says,  “every  contact  with  nature  elevates, 
strengthens  and  purifies.”  We  try  as  far  as  possible  to  have 
the  children  experience  this  life  at  first  hand.  We  wander 
in  small  groups  all  over  the  campus,  and  the  surrounding 
fields,  finding,  hearing  and  seeing  many  things.  When  we 
wish  to  visit  some  particular  spot,  too  far  away  to  walk, 
again  the  coach  is  called  into  service  and  carries  us  forth 
to  see,  perhaps,  the  squirrels  down  in  the  park,  the  sheep  on 
a ranch,  the  potato  cellar  or  a hay  stacker  at  work. 

There  are  so  many  interesting  animals  and  industries 
surrounding  these  children  that  we  rarely  talk  of  foreign 
ones,  for  we  believe  that  such  external  matter  should  come 
later,  and  in  the  kindergarten  these  children  should  he 
given  an  opportunity  to  talk  over  and  reproduce  that  of 
which  they  already  have  some  apperception. 

The  children,  of  course,  strengthen  their  observations 
by  various  reproductions.  Dramatization  is  the  favorite 


GREELEY^  COLORADO. 


31 


one  and  we  are  wheat  fields,  toads,  trees,  flowers — flowers 
going  to  sleep  in  the  fall  and  awakening  in  the  spring, 
squirrels,  birds  and  butterflies,  according  to  the  dominant 
interest.  By  painting,  cutting,  drawing,  modeling  and 
various  other  mediums,  the  children  give  back  their  im- 
pressions. 

But  all  this  is  mere  surface  work,  unless  we  can  catch 
some  ray  of  the  great  thought  that  nature  is  simply  a re- 
vealer  of  the  higher  life,  and  that  by  an  early  recognition 
of  an  unseen  power  in  the  forms  of  nature,  we  can  help  the 
child  to  gain  some  impression  of  the  spirit  of  God,  and  so 
our  nature  work  is  not  only  a preparation  for  botany  and 
zoology,  but  is  symbolic  of  much  of  our  ethical  teaching. 

The  positive  rather  than  the  negative  treatment  of 
children,  their  gradual  appreciation  of  law  through  expe- 
riencing retributive  rather  than  arbitrary  punishment,  in 
fact  the  nice  adjustment  between  spontaniety  and  control, 
as  exemplified  in  true  kindergarten  practice  has  deep  les- 
sons for  all  educators. 

Eroebel  says:  “Between  educator 'and  pupil,  between 
request  and  obedience,  there  should  invisibly  rule  a third 
something  to  which  educator  and  pupil  are  equally  sub- 
ject.’’  This  is  the  best,  the  right,  the  law  which  affects 
each  member,  old  and  young,  in  the  kindergarten.  The 
truth  of  this  has  been  forcibly  brought  to  us  this  winter  in 
the  shape  of  a cuckoo  clock,  which  was  given  to  the  room  at 
the  Christmas  time  by  the  young  women  of  the  kindergar- 
ten classes, 
ii 


32 


STATE  FORMAL  SCHOOL, 


When  the  cuckoo  speaks,  it  speaks  to  all  and  all  must 
obey.  It  is  not  that  I tell  yon  it  is  time  to  march,  play 
games  or  go  home,  but  the  clock  tells  us.  It  stands  for 
law  and  order,  it  is  impersonal,  steadfast  and  is  fairly  alive 
to  the  children. 

Many  are  the  lessons  and  much  the  delight  and  inter- 
est this  clock  has  given  us.  And  when  it  is  quiet  and  the 
people  stop  to  listen,  the  soft  cuckoo,  cuckoo,  cuckoo,  may 
be  heard  far  down  the  hall  and  in  many  rooms.  It  is  a soft 
but  penetrating  voice  and  some  say  it  may  he  heard  way 
upstairs ; may  it  not  be  indicative  of  the  permeation  of  the 
Kindergarten  spirit  throughout  the  school  ? 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


33 


CHILDREN'S  AIMS. 

By  Bella  B.  Sibley. 


T^ARENTS  have  aims  for  their  children’s  future.  The 
* father  wants  his  son  to  be  a lawyer,  and  insists  that 
his  school  life  shall  be  directed  towards  this  end ; when  the 
truth  is,  the  boy  has  in  him  potentialities,  which,  if  devel- 
oped, would  make  him  a successful  brick  mason,  with  suffi- 
cient business  ability  to  conquer  the  world  from  a financial 
standpoint. 

The  teacher  has  aims  for  her  pupil.  She  wants  him 
to  do  the  work  of  the  class  and  pass  with  fiying  colors  into 
the  next  grade.  In  order  to  attain  such  an  end,  it  is  nec- 
essary for  her  to  push  this  aim  upon  the  child,  even  to  the 
extent  of  cram  and  force. 

The  child  has  a large  fund  of  knowledge  on  hand  when 
he  enters  school,  which  the  teacher  should  plan  to  utilize. 
If  he  comes  from  the  kindergarten  he  has  studied  nature  in 
a very  simple  hut  a beautiful  way.  In  the  plays  and 
games  he  has  learned  some  of  the  great  fundamental  prin- 
ciples which  govern  society.  Other  children  have  rights 
which  he  must  recognize  if  his  own  are  to  be  acknowledged. 
If  he  comes  directly  from  the  home,  he  is  not  so  well  de- 
veloped socially,  nor  are  his  senses  so  well  trained ; yet  we 
believe  in  the  educational  value  of  the  home.  In  it  every 


34 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


interest  springs  up  easily  and  spontaneously.  It  is  tlie 
most  favorable  environment  for  the  growth  of  sympathy. 
With  but  few  exceptions  the  family  furnishes  an  atmos- 
phere for  the  development  of  the  best  in  the  child.  He  has 
learned  in  the  home  to  think  and  converse  in  the  vernacular. 
Hature,  art  and  music  have  had  their  refining  influence 
upon  him.  When  he  comes  to  school  he  is  familiar  with 
many  of  the  habits  of  pet  animals,  the  nesting  and  life  of 
birds,  temperature,  wind,  sunshine  and  their  effect  upon 
plant  and  animal  life.  Thus  the  small  circle  of  the  family 
prepares  him  for  the  larger  circle  of  the  school,  and  the 
school  for  the  greater  responsibilities  of  the  citizen. 

The  primary  teacher  takes  the  knowledge  which  the 
child  has  already  acquired  and  uses  it  as  a foundation  for 
his  further  mental  development.  This  knowledge  is  re- 
lated either  to  nature  or  man.  It  is  disconnected  and  frag- 
mentary, and  it  is  the  work  of  the  school  to  connect  and 
expand  it.  With  this  in  view  the  teacher  takes  the  child  to 
the  great  book  of  nature.  “As  he  learns  to  read  it  he  be- 
comes acquainted  with  its  Author.”  Take  the  child  out  to 
nature  rather  than  bring  twigs,  leaves  and  flowers  into  the 
school  room. 

Hothing  must  be  undertaken  in  the  wTork  without  an 
aim,  which  the  children  can  appreciate  and  adopt.  The 
primary  teacher  must  invent  such  aims  as  the  children  will 
make  their  own.  When  this  is  done,  we  believe  that  it  will 
tend  to  develop  the  children  in  self-reliance  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  they  will  soon  be  able  to  set  up  aims  for  them- 
selves. They,  however,  will  begin  to  do  so  very  gradually 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


35 


and  will  require  encouragement  and  suggestions  from  the 
teacher.  Primary  children  are  not,  as  a rule,  sufficiently 
well  developed  to  work  out  many  of  their  own  aims;  but 
everything  should  tend  in  that  direction.  Very  early  in 
his  educational  career,  the  child  will,  if  properly  directed, 
begin  to  suggest  his  own  aims  for  at  least  some  of  the  school 
work. 

The  following  is  an  example  of  an  aim  given  by  the 
teacher  which  the  children  can  readily  adopt:  “Now  we 
are  going  out  on  the  campus  to  look  carefully  at  the  trees. 
When  we  come  in,  we’ll  play  that  this  part  of  the  room  is 
the  campus.  We’ll  draw  the  walks  on  the  floor  with  chalk, 
then  we’ll  all  stand  up  and  he  trees  such  as  we  have  seen, 
and  have  the  Second  Grade  guess  our  names.  If  they  guess 
correctly,  they  may  write  them  on  the  hoard.”  (The  chil- 
dren adopted  the  above  aim.  It  became  their  own,  and 
they  were  very  enthusiastic  in  trying  to  realize  it;  conse- 
quently, they  succeeded.) 

During  the  excursion  the  teacher  talks  with  the  chil- 
dren about  the  way  they  think  of  representing  the  trees  the j 
have  chosen;  invites  them  to  make  suggestions  to  one  an- 
other as  to  improvements.  In  other  words  look  for  means 
to  realize  the  end.  When  they  come  in  they  arrange  them- 
selves according  to  the  aim.  As  the  Second  Grade  guess 
their  names  they  write  them  on  the  board.  The  children 
construct  a few  short,  simple  sentences  containing  some  of 
their  tree  names.  Write  on  the  board.  This  aim  contains 
work  out  of  doors,  gives  the  child  opportunity  for  express- 


36 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


ing  himself  in  action,  and  emphasizes  the  social  develop- 
ment of  his  nature. 

Continue  such  work  in  story,  song  and  action,  giving 
the  children  blackboard  imaging  of  words  and  sentences  in 
connection  with  everything,  thus  laying  the  foundation  for 
oral  expression  in  reading  and  written  language.  Begin 
with  the  home  and  lead  the  child  out  in  all  directions  into 
the  great  life  about  him,  and  connect  with  life  which  pre- 
ceded him  in  man  and  nature. 


Trees,  grass,  flowers  are 
studied  with  the  thought  of  their 
being  homes  of  birds  and  insects. 
Protection  from  enemies,  weath- 
er and  social  life  among  birds, 
animals,  insects,  are  pointed 
out,  compared,  related.  Nature 
myths  and  fairy  stories  which 
carry  the  child  back  into  Gre- 
cian and  Norse  life  and  primi- 
tive times  are  given,  thus  con- 
necting the  past  and  present. 


STUDY  OF  THE  POPLAR  TREE— SECOND  GRADE. 

The  children  gather  autumn  leaves,  press  and  work 
out  designs  for  borders  and  panels. 

One  of  these  borders  was  placed  above  the  blackboard 
in  the  primary  room.  The  design  was  selected  and  the 
leaves  were  collected  and  pressed  by  the  children.  The 
leaves  were  pasted  upon  a background  of  dark,  rich 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


37 


brown  velvet  paper.  The  blending  and  shading  of  the  soft 
colors  of  the  autumn  leaves  with  this  background  is  a 
study  in  art,  which  develops  the  child’s  color  sense  in  a 
very  marked  degree. 

Exercises  are  given  in  the  quick  recognition  of  trees 
from  the  observation  of  leaves. 

As  is  customary  in  many  of  the  best  schools,  we  use 
holidays  and  special  occasions  to  study  the  homes  of  the 
Pilgrims,  and  the  materials  of  which  they  were  constructed. 


Compare  these  homes  and  the  first  Thanksgiving  with  the 
child’s  home  and  Thanksgiving  as  it  is  to-day.  The  teacher 
adapts  her  own  material  from  the  best  literature  and  art 


38 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


on  this  subject,  emphasizing  modes  of  travel  and  lack  of 
machinery. 

Indian  life  is  taken  up,  Hiawatha’s  home,  childhood, 
grandmother,  food,  clothing  are  studied.  Children  can 
not  understand  complicated  forms  of  life.  They  can  not 
construct  the  Parthenon  or  the  Pyramids  of  Egypt  or  even 
a house  such  as  they  live  in,  but  they  can  construct  an  In- 
dian wigwam. 

In  story  form  the  birth  and  home  life  of  the  Christ 
Child  are  given. 

January  is  given  to  the  study  of  the  Eskimo,  because 
our  climate  in  this  month  is  as  near  that  of  the  Ear  North 
as  it  ever  will  be.  The  construction  of  homes,  furniture, 
habits  and  life  of  the  people,  food,  clothing,  modes  of 
travel,  dogs,  are  taken  up ; bring  in  the  idea  of  trade.  Ask 
such  questions  as : “What  have  we  that  would  make  the  Es- 
kimo more  happy  V9  “What  has  the  Eskimo  that  would 
keep  us  warm  this  weather  V9 


It  is  the  custom  in  the  primary  room  to  put  a frieze 
around  the  top  of  the  blackboard,  about  fourteen  inches 
deep,  representing  a connected  thought  that  we  are  study- 
ing. As  we  take  up  different  phases  of  the  work,  these 
friezes  are  erased,  and  new  ones  modeled  on  the  board  in 


GREELEY;  COLORADO. 


39 


chalk  and  charcoal.  The  primary  practice  teachers  do  this 
work.  For  instance,  the  January  frieze  contains  a repre- 
sentation of  Eskimo  life,  homes,  Aurora  Borealis,  icebergs, 
sealing,  and  dog  teams  traveling  south  to  a post  house,  on 
one  side;  the  other  side  represents  Greeley  conditions  of 
life,  railroad  trains,  horse  teams  traveling  to  the  post  house 
with  sugar,  better  building  materials  and  tools  for  the  Es- 
kimo. 

Three  charts  composed  by  the  children,  printed  by  the 
teachers  and  given  as  reading  to  supplement  Eskimo  liter- 
ature. 

As  Spring  approaches,  Greeley  agriculture  life,  the 
cultivation  of  the  potato,  giving  the  story  of  its  introduc- 
tion into  this  country,  the  manufacture  of  starch,  the  su- 
gar beet  industry  are  studied,  and  excursions  to  the  beet 
sugar  factory  are  taken.  A system  of  irrigation  is  worked 
out  on  the  sand  table. 

As  the  weather  becomes  warmer,  a child’s  home  in  the 
hot  belt  is  taken.  The  climate,  plant  life,  animal  life  and 
habits  of  the  people  in  the  Torrid  Zone  are  given  in  story 
form. 

Children  study  architecture  from  pictures  and  obser- 
vation of  buildings ; select  ones  they  like  best ; draw  plans 
of  houses  they  could  construct  of  straw-board.  Each  child 
calculates  how  much  material  he  will  require  for  his  house. 
This  is  supplied  him.  Lines  are  drawn  geometrically 
straight,  and  rulers  used  with  some  degree  of  accuracy. 
The  floor  and  four  walls  are  completed  and  a sliding  parti- 
tion is  inserted,  dividing  the  house  into  four  rooms.  A 
roof  is  placed  over  it.  At  this  stage  of  development  it  be- 


40 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


WHAT  AGOONACK'S  PEOPLE  WEAR. 

Agoonack  is  a little  Eskimo  girl  who  lives  in  the 
far,  far  north.  It  is  very, very  cold  where  she  lives.  Do 
you  want  to  know  what  kind  of>Hothes  she  wears? 

She  looks  like  a white  bear-cub  when  she  is  far 
away.  When  she  comes  closer  you  can  see  her  little 
brown,  plump  face, peeping  out  of  her  big  fur  hood. 


Agoonack  wears  a jumper  of  white  bear- 
skin. She  has  leggings  made  of  the  same 
kind  of  skin.  She  has  a little  pair  of  mocca- 


sins made  of  warm  sealskin.  Her  mamma 
sewed  her  stockings  of  birdskin  and  left  the  soft 
down  on  to  keep  her  warm.  Her  mittens  are  made  of 
dogskin. 

Agoonack  is  running  to  meet  her  papa  and  mamma. 
They  are  dressed  very  much  alike. They  each  have  two 
suits  of  sealskin.  The  mother’s  hood  is  bigger  than  the 
father^.  Itisused  to  carry  Sipsu,  AgoonacVs  brother. 

The  father  hunts  the  animals.  Agoonack  scrapes  the 
skin  with  a queer  knife  to  make  it  soft  and  nice.  Then 
her  mother  cuts  out  the  clothes  and  seWs  them  with, 
a quill  fora  needle  and  reindeer  sinews  for  thread.  Next 
November  all  will  get  a new  suit  and  they  will  celebrate. 


Dora  Ladd. 


Second  Grade# 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


41 


comes  necessary  for  the  young  architect  to  have  a lot  upon 
which  to  build  his  house.  A part  of  the  primary  room  floor 
is  marked  off  by  streets,  thus  representing  a city.  Blocks 
and  lots  are  laid  out  and  numbered.  The  teacher  acts  as 
real  estate  agent,  and  the  children  choose  a notary  public 
and  a recorder.  The  members  of  the  class  divide  them- 
selves into  groups  of  twos  or  threes.  These  groups  go,  one 
at  a time,  with  the  real  estate  agent,  select  their  lots,  pay 
for  them  with  toy  money,  go  to  the  notary  public  and  have 
a deed  filled  out,  signed  and  sealed  as  follows : 

DEED. 

This  deed,  made  this  7th  day  of  March,  1902,  between 
Alice  M.  Allen,  of  the  County  of  Weld,  and  State  of  Colo 
rado,  of  the  first  part,  and  Charles  Newton,  of  the  County 
of  Weld  and  State  of  Colorado,  of  the  second  part. 

Witnesseth,  That  the  said  party  of  the  first  part, 
for  and  in  consideration  of  $1.00,  hereby  sells  and  conveys 
unto  the  party  of  the  second  part  the  following  land  in 
Weld  County,  Colorado,  to-wit:  Lot  one  in  block  two  hun- 
dred, in  the  Town  of  Greeley,  according  to  the  recorded 
plat  thereof. 

In  witness  whereof,  the  said  party  of  the  first  part 
has  hereunto  set  her  hand  and  seal,  the  day  and  year  first 
above  written.  ALICE  M.  ALLEN,  (seal) 

State  of  Colorado,  County  of  Weld,  ss. 

Acknowledged  on  March  7th,  1902,  before  me,  a No- 
tary Public  in  and  for  said  County  and  State. 

JOHN  JONES, 

Notary  Public. 


(seal) 


42 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


This  done,  he  goes  to  the  recorder  and  has  his  deed 
recorded,  after  which  he  proceeds  to  erect  his  house  upon 
his  lot  on  the  school  room  floor. 

Thus  the  children  become  land  owners;  and  as  soon 
as  their  houses  are  built  they  have  them  insured.  The 
teacher  acts  as  insurance  agent,  and  a typewritten  insur- 
ance policy  is  issued  to  each  owner  of  an  insured  house. 
The  premium  is  paid  when  the  policy  is  taken  out,  and  an 
assessment,  according  to  specifications  in  the  policy,  is  due 
the  first  day  of  each  month. 

Taxes  are  due  and  payable  May  1st,  of  each  year. 

On  a piece  of  straw-board  the  size  of  the  kitchen  floor 
each  child  makes  an  oilcloth,  the  pattern  for  which  has  been 
developed  as  follows:  The  children  observe  the  oilcloths 
on  kitchens  in  homes,  visit  furniture  stores,  study  patterns 
and  colors,  select  the  ones  they  like  best,  then  draw  a pat- 
tern of  an  oilcloth  for  their  kitchens,  and  color  it  with  wax 
crayons.  The  probabilities  are  that  each  member  of  the 
class  will  have  a different  oilcloth.  This  is  what  the 
teacher  wishes.  It  develops  the  child’s  individuality. 

Rag  carpets  are  woven  for  the  other  rooms  and  a study 
of  fiber  plants,  silk  and  wool,  is  taken  up  in  connection  with 
the  weaving.  Pasteboard  furniture  and  dolls  are  made. 
This  work  forms  a link  between  the  kindergarten  play  and 
the  study  of  industries  and  commerce. 

We  shall  improve  upon  this  next  year  by  having  each 
child  make  a house  of  a different  size  and  shape. 

The  children  have  studied  during  the  year  the  life  of 
primitive  people,  animal  life,  plant  life,  and  the  life  of  man 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


43 


in  the  three  zones;  compared,  contrasted  and  connected 
with  their  own  home  life  and  environment.  In  a simple 
and  interesting  way  they  have  studied  exchange  of  produce, 
commerce  and  modes  of  travel.  They  have  compared  the 
Indian  snowshoe  and  the  Eskimo  dog  team  with  the  rail- 
road train  and  the  bicycle ; the  camel  of  the  desert  with  the 
horse.  The  myth  and  the  fairy  story  have  been  copiously 
introduced  all  the  year,  dealing  with  life  in  ancient  times. 
Thus  a broad  foundation  has  been  laid  for  a further  study 
of  history,  literature,  geography,  trade,  commerce,  travel, 
manufactures  and  invention.  By  means  of  sand,  clay, 
strawboard  and  wood  the  children  have  been  led  to  imitate 
the  industrial  life  that  comes  within  their  range  of  experi- 
ence. Contemporaneous,  ancient  and  primitive  life  have 
been  connected  in  this  work  and  found  equally  simple,  fur- 
nishing a wealth  of  material  from  which  to  select  children’s 
aims. 


READING. 

Reading,  oral  and  written  language  are  emphasized  in 
the  primary  grades.  The  partiality  shown  these  subjects 
is  justified  by  the  fact  that  language  is  the  instrument  that 
makes  possible  human  social  organization.  Not  only  so, 
but  much  of  the  child’s  mental  development  depends  upon 
his  ability  to  think  in  response  to  the  stimuli  received  from 
the  printed  page.  Teachers  in  the  upper  grades,  High 
Schools,  and  even  in  our  colleges,  admit  that  it  is  exceed- 
ingly difficult  for  pupils  to  master  the  thoughts  that  words 
represent. 


44 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


On  the  other  hand,  it  is  easy  to  train  pupils  to  memor- 
ize words ; but  in  doing  so  they  are  neither  taught  to  read, 
nor  to  study.  Their  minds  are  concentrated  upon  the 
empty  sounds,  the  characters,  the  form,  the  ability  to  pro- 
nounce words,  which  soon  becomes  habit,  so  that  when  hard, 
continuous  study  of  text  is  demanded,  the  pupils  have  no 
power  of  thinking. 

Children  are  taught  from  the  beginning  that  pro- 
nouncing words  is  not  reading.  They  are  encouraged  to 
master  the  thought  and  express  it.  No  one  method  is  used 
exclusively,  hut  many  methods  are  studied  by  the  practice 
teachers,  for  the  purpose  of  absorbing  the  spirit  of  those 
who  made  the  methods. 

Reading  is  correlated  with  everything  that  is  done  in 
the  primary  grade.  For  instance,  the  teacher  begins  to 
tell  a story.  When  the  most  interesting  point  is  reached, 
a sentence  written  upon  the  hoard  gives  the  climax.  The 
children  are  anxious  to  master  the  thought.  The  sentence 
contains  something  that  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  know. 
The  teacher  assists  them  to  help  one  another  until  they  find 
out  what  it  says.  It  is  thought,  not  words,  that  they  are 
eager  to  get.  When  they  get  the  thought  they  spontan- 
eously express  it.  While  getting  the  thought  they  inci- 
dentally master  the  words.  Or  a story  is  begun  as  above, 
hut  hooks  are  given  the  children,  page  and  number  of  para- 
graph are  written  upon  the  hoard,  children  study  the  para- 
graph containing  the  climax  of  the  story,  tell  it  in  their  own 
words,  or  write  it  upon  the  hoard,  to  be  improved  upon  hv 
other  members  of  the  class.  Thus  the  test  of  reading  is 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


45 


the  ability  to  study  the  text  and  express  the  thought  aroused 
by  it. 

The  above  are  two  of  many  little  devices  that  are  used 
as  means  to  the  same  end. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  first  year  the  work  in 
phonics  is  taken  up.  Slow  pronunciation  of  words,  with 
which  the  children  are  familiar,  is  given.  In  this  way  the 
child  does  not  come  suddenly  to  a new  subject,  when  he 
takes  up  phonics,  he  simply  takes  a little  step  in  advance, 
in  a subject  with  which  he  is  already  familiar.  He  iden- 
tifies the  separate  words  in  the  sentence  he  uses,  and  in  the 
next  place,  recognizes  the  separate  sounds  in  each  word. 
The  latter  part  of  the  second  year  new  words  are  pro- 
nounced by  means  of  phonics. 

LITERATURE. 

We  consider  that  the  myth  and  the  fairy  are  the  keys 
which  unlock  much  of  the  best  in  art  and  literature.  Eor 
instance,  the  children  have  been  observing  trees,  flowers  and 
the  forces  about  them.  They  have  been  looking  at  pictures 
and  singing  songs.  They  are  given  a beautiful  myth  which 
enhances  their  thought,  interest  and  observation.  We  se- 
lect from  the  following: 

Indian  Myths  from  Hiawatha. 

Nature  Myths  from  the  Greek  and  Norse  Mythology. 

Fairy  Stories  and  the  Odyssey. 


46 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


MUSIC. 

FIRST  YEAR— FIRST  HALF. 

Music. — Songs  and  exercises  from  teacher’s  pattern 
Tonic,  Dominant  and  Sub-Dominant  chords.  To  sing  and 
write  exercises  from  memory.  Primary  and  secondary 
forms. 

FIRST  YEAR— SECOND  HALF. 

Music. — The  beat  divided  into  halves,  into  quarters. 
Ear  exercises.  Rate  songs. 

SECOND  YEAR— FIRST  HALF. 

Music. — Review.  Two  part  exercises  from  manual 
signs.  To  sing  every  interval  possible  using  only  one,  two, 
three,  five  and  seven  of  scale.  Exercises  sung,  written, 
pointed  and  indicated  by  manual  signs  from  memory. 
Each  exercise  to  be  sung  to  any  given  syllable.  Two  part 
rounds.  Ear  exercises. 

SECOND  YEAR— SECOND  HALF. 

Exercises  and  songs  beginning  with  half  beat  tones. 
The  beat-and-a-balf  tone.  The  slur.  Two-part  songs.  Ear 
exercises.  Daily  use  of  manual  signs  and  modulator, 
familiarize  pupils  with  all  rhythms  employing  half-heat 
tones  and  quarter-heat  tones.  Record  of  voice  compass. 

SUBJECTS  TAUGHT  IN  FIRST  AND 
SECOND  GRADES. 

Reading,  Writing,  Numbers,  Literature,  Language, 
Nature  Study,  Construction  Work,  Industrial  Art,  Draw- 
ing, Story  Illustration,  Clay  Modeling. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


47 


TO  WHAT  EXTENT  CAN  CHILDREN  FORM 
THE  COURSE  OF  STUDY? 

By  Eleanor  M.  Phillips. 


¥17  the  fall  of  1901  it  was  decided  to  allow  the  pupils  of 
* the  Training  Department  of  the  Colorado  State  Nor- 
mal School  more  freedom  in  selection  of  work  and  method 
of  accomplishing  it  than  had  been  practiced  formerly. 

It  was  suggested  that  the  children  in  the  third  and 
fourth  grades  (about  forty  in  number,  seated  in  one  room) 
be  allowed  one  or  more  periods  a week  during  which  time 
they  might  do  what  they  considered  most  worth  while — the 
children  planning  for  themselves  as  well  as  executing  their 
plans  without  the  teacher’s  assistance,  except  where  they 
felt  the  need  of  her  help. 

The  matter  was  presented  to  the  children  in  this  way : 
If  you  should  have  one-half  hour  each  week  to  do  whatever 
you  think  most  worth  while,  what  are  some  of  the  things 
you  would  care  to  do  ? Many  answers  were  given — most  of 
which  showed  very  little  thought,  due  perhaps  partly  to  the 
fact  that  the  children  had  not  had  sufficient  time  to  think  of 
the  matter,  and  partly  to  the  fact  that  the  idea  of  planning 
for  themselves  in  school  was  such  an  innovation  that  they 
were  unable  to  adjust  themselves  to  it  readily.  In  the 


48 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


main,  the  answers  were  such  as  the  children  thought  would 
most  please  their  teacher ; accordingly  they  suggested  what 
they  considered  the  most  suitable  occupation  for  school — 
such  as  “I  should  paint.”  “I  should  study  my  reading  les- 
son.” A number  suggested  various  subjects  for  nature 
study,  as  this  work  had  been  taken  up  with  some  enthusi- 
asm. The  teacher  emphasized  the  fact  that  they  need  not 
feel  that  they  must  do  such  work  as  they  were  accustomed 
to  do ; hut  anything  they  cared  to  do  that  could  possibly  be 
done  at  that  time  and  place.  The  teacher  even  ventured 
so  far  as  to  relate  some  of  the  experiences  of  children  in 
another  school  where  a similar  plan  was  tried.  This  was 
intended  to  show  the  pupils  that  there  were  some  things 
thought  to  be  worth  while  which  seemed  quite  foreign  to 
their  ordinary  ideas  of  work  in  school.  Yet  the  teacher 
mentioned  these  with  fear  and  trembling,  lest  the  pupils 
might  copy  others’  ideas  and  thus  not  use  their  freedom  to 
the  extent  that  was  allowed  them.  However,  at  the  next 
conference  nothing  mentioned  by  the  teacher  had  been 
adopted  by  the  children,  neither  had  their  ideas  developed 
to  any  marked  degree.  They  still  in  the  main,  when  asked 
for  their  plans,  stated  that  they  wished  to  paint,  or  draw  at 
the  board,  or  complete  some  work  begun  in  Sloyd,  and  a 
few  wished  to  read  and  do  number  work,  while  many  had 
no  plans  at  all.  Some  of  the  boys  planned  kites  and  a 
number  of  girls  brought  quilt  blocks  and  pillow  covers  to 
make.  For  some  time  the  teacher  allowed  the  drawing, 
painting  and  reading — which  were  planned  for  one  day 
only,  and  then  not  very  clearly — because  she  realized  that 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


49 


they  must  have  a little  time  to  make  the  transition  from  the 
method  of  the  teacher’s  planning  everything  for  them  to 
this  method  of  the  children’s  inventing  some  of  their  own 
plans. 

Within  a few  days  a Fourth  Grade  boy  brought  a 
drawing  of  a hay-stacker,  explained  it  to  the  teacher,  telling 
how  large  he  wished  the  hay-stacker,  and  just  how  it  was  to 
be  used.  He  had  the  promise  of  another  Fourth  Grade  boy 
to  assist  him  in  the  work.  The  boy  with  the  plan  went  to 


the  Sloyd  room  where  the  teacher  gave  him  a large  sheet 
of  paper  upon  which  to  make  a working  drawing.  This 
consumed  the  period  and  the  boy  waited  anxiously  for 
another  hour  for  this  work.  They  completed  this  hay- 
stacker in  about  six  weeks,  having  one  period  a week  in 


50 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


which  to  work  except  the  last  two  weeks  when  the  time  was 
extended  to  two  half  hour  periods  a week. 

The  time  was  increased,  indeed  for  all  the  pupils,  at 
their  own  request  because  of  their  growing  interest. 

An  elaborate  plan  of  a modern  cottage  was  soon 
brought  in  by  a Fourth  Grade  boy  who  was  the  son  of  a 
carpenter,  and  who  had  a very  clear  conception  of  the  steps 
necessary  for  the  erection  of  a house,  from  the  original 
plan  to  the  painting  of  the  house.  He  seemed  to  have  very 
little  idea  that  this  cottage  would  be  built;  but  was  confi- 
dent that  he  was  capable  of  building  it  if  he  had  the  ma- 
terial. When  asked  where  he  would  place  it  he  pointed 
out  several  good  locations  on  the  campus.  The  teacher 
suggested  that  he  reduce  and  simplify  the  plan,  and  make 
an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  building  the  house.  This  he  did, 
consulting  the  lumber  company,  and  deciding  that  for  $23 
he  could  build  a nice  little  cottage  with  two  small  rooms. 
He  also  said  that  with  the  assistance  of  four  or  five  boys 
whom  he  selected  to  help  him  he  could  have  the  work  com- 
pleted by  Thanksgiving.  This  boy  had  so  much  confidence 
in  his  own  ability  and  was  so  enthusiastic  over  his  plan  that 
he  had  no  difficulty  in  securing  plenty  of  assistant  carpen- 
ters. There  was  talk  of  trying  to  raise  the  money  among 
the  pupils;  but  that  seemed  hopeless.  Finally  the  boys 
were  told  that  the  school  would  appropriate  $8.00  for  the 
Third  and  Fourth  Grades  to  use  as  they  thought  best.  How 
if  this  house  committee  could  reduce  the  size  and  expense 
of  the  house  so  that  it  could  be  built  for  $8.00,  and  all  in- 
terested in  the  investment  of  this  money  should  agree  to 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


51 


its  being  used  for  this  purpose,  they  might  be  able  to  carry 
out  their  plans. 

By  this  time,  which  was  six  weeks  after  the  first  plan 
had  been  presented,  many  other  members  of  the  school  had 
caught  the  inspiration  and  had  planned  (a  very  natural 
thing  to  do)  furniture,  such  as  tables,  book-cases,  chairs  and 
bedding,  towels,  couch  pillows,  etc.,  for  the  new  house. 

Notwithstanding  their  interest,  the  appropriation  of 
$8.00  to  this  scheme  was  a very  crucial  point  which  led  to 
a great  deal  of  discussion  on  the  part  of  the  pupils.  The 
matter  was  placed  before  the  school  in  this  way : The  school 
is  willing  to  give  this  year  about  $8.00  to  this  room  to  use 
in  whatever  you  think  is  the  best  possible  way.  You  will 
need  to  think  the  matter  over  carefully  and  be  ready  to  give 
your  decisions  in  a few  days.  At  the  appointed  time  for 
the  next  discussion  some  children  advised  buying  a case 
for  their  room  in  which  to  keep  relics  brought  by  them  for 
study  and  ornament.  Pictures  for  the  room  were  strongly 
urged  by  others.  Many  other  things  were  mentioned ; but 
the  large  majority  favored  investing  the  money  in  the 
house,  which  would  prove  to  be  of  service  as  “a  recitation 
room”  and  “a  place  in  which  to  keep  many  articles  made 
in  school.”  The  enthusiastic  majority — including  all  di- 
rectly interested  in  building  and  furnishing  the  house — 
convinced  the  minority  of  its  value,  and  when  the  votes 
were  cast  it  was  seen  that  the  pupils  were  unanimously  in 
favor  of  spending  the  money  for  the  house. 

The  boys  ordered  the  lumber;  but  when  actual  work 
was  to  begin  a seeming  hindrance  arose.  Some  of  the  boys 


52 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


were  unaccustomed  to  handling  carpenters’  tools,  and  the 
supervisor  of  the  Sloyd  department  could  not  allow  them 
to  take  valuable  tools  out  to  the  field.  The  boys  suggested 
bringing  tools  from  home ; hut  on  presenting  the  matter  to 


a young  man  in  the  senior  class  who  understood  manual 
work,  he  kindly  offered  to  he  present  as  often  as  possible. 
This  allowed  them  the  use  of  the  Sloyd  tools.  In  one  of 
their  reports  of  the  progress  of  the  work  they  said  of  this 
young  man,  “Mr.  S.  never  helps  us,  he  just  makes  us 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


53 


think.”  They  explained  that  he  would  ask  them  as  the 
work  advanced  which  of  several  ways  would  be  the  best  to 
pursue. 

The  building  progressed  rapidly  for  a time,  hut  was 
not  complete,  as  the  hoys  had  expected,  at  Thanksgiving — 
only  the  frame  was  up.  There  were  many  causes  for  the 
delay,  such  as  illness  of  the  leading  carpenter  and  absence 
of  Mr.  S.  At  Christmas  time,  also,  the  house  was  incom- 
plete ; but  the  enthusiasm  was  still  intense. 

While  this  house  was  progressing,  other  groups  were 
planning  and  executing  work.  A sewing  group  was  formed. 
This  committee  was  very  enthusiastic.  The  children  con- 
tributed material  for  various  articles  and  when  it  was  im- 
possible for  them  to  bring  what  they  needed  from  home 
they  assessed  themselves  a few  pennies  and  purchased  ma- 
terial. 

When  some  money  had  been  brought  one  of  the  group 
suggested  that  they  must  select  a member  to  take  care  of  it. 
So  they  elected  a treasurer.  Some  one  proposd  that  an- 
other member  keep  account  of  all  that  was  done,  and  a sec- 
retary was  appointed.  A president  was  also  elected. 

The  idea  of  estimating  the  time  that  would  he  re- 
quired to  accomplish  a certain  piece  of  work  was  not  in- 
troduced at  first  although  this  seems  to  be  such  an  im- 
portant element  in  all  working  plans. 

One  of  the  seniors,  Miss  F.,  who  taught  these  pupils 
at  another  hour  in  the  day,  became  interested  in  this  work 
and  offered  to  assist.  She  made  no  effort  to  direct  the  chil- 
dren ; hut  let  them  know  that  if  she  could  he  of  service  at 


54 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


any  time  they  might  call  upon  her.  In  one  of  their  reports 
they  stated  that  they  fringed  a towel ; but  did  not  know  how 
to  keep  it  from  raveling,  so  Miss  F.  showed  them  the  kind 
of  stitch  to  use  for  this  purpose. 

Frequently  plans  were  changed  as  the  work  developed. 
Two  girls  were  making  a comforter  of  blue  cheese-cloth  tied 
with  white  knots.  When  it  was  almost  completed  they  de- 
cided it  would  be  prettier  with  a ruffle  around  the  edge. 
They  took  four  cents  from  the  treasury  and  bought  ma- 
terial for  a ruffle. 

There  was  little  tendency  to  be  fickle  on  the  part  of 
most  of  the  children.  Drifting  aimlessly  from  one  plan  or 
idea  to  another,  or  from  one  group  to  another,  was  rare, 
yet  the  children’s  plans  were  constantly  changing  as  their 
ideas  developed. 

The  furniture  group  was  rather  a changeable  one.  It 
consisted  of  smaller  divisions — a chair  committee,  a book- 
case committee,  a table  committee,  etc.  The  chair  group 
at  one  time,  included  nine  children,  each  of  whom  was  to 
make  a part  of  a chair.  One  boy  was  selected  by  the  group 
to  make  the  working  drawing.  Another  was  appointed  to 
superintend  the  work.  This  task  he  found  to  be  difficult. 
When  the  parts  were  finished  some  of  the  members  had  to 
drop  out  for  a time  while  a smaller  number — two  boys — 
put  the  chair  together.  This  plan  did  not  prove  to  be  sat- 
isfactory as  the  legs  of  the  chair,  for  instance,  were  not 
sufficiently  uniform.  The  leader  had  not  been  able  to  see 
that  all  followed  the  plan.  The  number  was  too  great  for 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


55 


him  to  supervise.  It  was  decided  that  for  so  large  a num- 
ber to  work  on  one  chair  was  not  advisable. 

The  original  idea  seemed  to  be  to  have  a set  of  chairs 
all  alike,  and  one  or  two  rockers.  The  first  chair  was  crit- 
icised because  its  back  was  too  vertical.  Although  it  was  a 
strong  little  chair  that  “would  hold  the  weight  of  the 
teacher”  as  the  children  proudly  declared,  yet  it  was  not 
very  artistic.  To  enlarge  their  ideas  of  beauty  in  furni- 
ture, the  teacher  brought  pictures  of  various  chairs  and 
encouraged  the  pupils  to  do  the  same,  but  without  requiring 
them  to  accept  these  suggestions,  or  even  encouraging  them 
to  do  so. 

This  group  was  not  as  well  organized  as  the  sewing 
group.  Children  were  accepted  or  rejected  more  readily 
without  seeming  annoyance  to  those  concerned.  This  may 
have  been  due  to  the  fact  that  making  chairs  was  rather  a 
newer  occupation  than  was  sewing  to  the  sewing  group,  and 
experience  was  necessary  in  order  to  show  the  children 
what  was  a good  plan  to  pursue. 

Hot  only  was  the  artistic  side  a perplexity,  but  other 
obstacles  presented  themselves.  After  planning  the  chairs 
it  was  found  that  the  Sloyd  department  could  not  furnish 
material  for  the  furniture  and  the  pupils  must  secure  this 
in  some  other  way.  A boy  from  another  group,  whose  sym- 
pathies were  aroused,  brought  a nice  half-inch  board.  Sev- 
eral children  brought  good  pieces  of  boxes  that  worked  up 
well  into  furniture.  Sand  paper  and  nails  were  also  furn- 
ished by  the  children. 


56 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


The  house  was  building;  the  furnishings  were  on  the 
way;  and  now  the  need  of  dishes  suggested  itself  to  a 
thoughtful  boy.  The  children  hooted  at  the  idea,  thinking 
for  the  moment  that  it  was  impossible,  but  when  he  ex- 
plained that  he  had  in  mind  clay  dishes,  many  who  had 
joined  no  group  were  anxious  to  help  him  undertake  the 
work.  The  pupils  in  these  grades  are  usually  very  fond 
of  modeling  in  clay.  Many  of  the  group,  however,  were 
found  to  work  aimlessly,  soon  to  tire  of  the  occupation,  and 
finally  to  drop  out  without  action  being  taken  by  the  other 
members. 

A secretary  was  appointed  to  keep  a careful  record  of 
all  articles  made.  She  was  selected  because  of  her  excel- 
lent penmanship.  Her  reports  were  placed  in  a little  book 
made  by  the  children  for  this  purpose.  A president  was 
appointed  to  manage  things,  such  as  passing  the  clay,  and 
the  papers  to  protect  the  desk,  seeing  that  everything  was 
properly  collected  and  the  good  pieces  of  work  preserved. 
Some  trouble  arose  as  the  president  seemed  inclined  to  exer- 
cise too  much  authority  in  regard  to  what  pieces  were  suit- 
able to  be  preserved.  About  this  time  one  of  the  girls 
withdrew  from  the  sewing  group,  thinking  that  she  was 
not  appreciated  there.  This  group  was  sorry  to  lose  her; 
but  could  not  induce  her  to  remain.  She  at  once  was  in- 
vited to  become  president  of  the  clay  group. 

Other  minor  groups  were  formed,  and  several  individ- 
uals worked  alone.  One  boy  made  knives  and  forks  and 
spoons.  He  invited  no  one  to  assist  him  and  no  one  re- 
quested to  be  allowed  to  join  him. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


57 


A brother  and  sister  made  a foot-stool — not  from  an 
original  design,  but  from  a model  in  the  Sloyd  room.  One 
boy  made  some  pretty  designs  in  wood  carving  and  wood 
burning. 

At  different  times  when  a subject  presented  by  a 
teacher  in  some  regular  work  was  thought  by  the  pupils  to 
need  their  attention  they  asked  permission  of  their  commit- 
tee to  waive  the  work  they  had  planned  and  attend  to  this. 
The  following  is  an  incident  of  this  kind : The  teacher  of 
Fourth  Grade  literature  had  told  the  story  of  Damon  and 
Pythias,  and  the  children  were  trying  to  act  it  out  in  class. 
There  arose  much  discussion  in  regard  to  the  proper  ex- 
pressions to  use  when  presenting  the  story  in  the  new  form 
of  a drama.  The  teacher  suggested  that  a committee  from 
the  class  be  appointed  to  write  the  drama.  If  their  ar- 
rangement were  accepted  by  all,  the  play  would  be  given 
accordingly.  Several  girls  were  selected  for  this  work. 
When  the  next  period  for  the  work  planned  by  the  children 
came,  which  was  the  same  afternoon,  the  girls  requested 
that  they  be  allowed  to  leave  their  groups  and  do  the  work 
assigned  by  the  teacher.  Wken  they  were  in  a small  room 
by  themselves  for  the  purpose  of  writing  the  drama,  they 
agreed  to  play  it  as  well  as  write  it,  and  invite  the  other 
members  of  the  Fourth  Grade  and  some  of  their  teachers 
to  witness  it.  As  this  was  Friday,  and  they  had  decided  to 
give  the  play  on  Monday,  they  must  get  their  invitations  out 
at  once.  When  the  teacher  entered  the  room  all  were  rushed 
with  work — some  writing  invitations,  others  programs,  and 
a few  the  drama.  Groups  had  been  formed  within  the 


58 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


group — division  of  labor  was  felt  to  be  the  most  effective 
plan.  One  girl  stated  that  Bessie  was  managing  tbe  work, 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


59 


and  Bessie  explained  that  after  all  were  started  she  wasn’t 
needed  as  manager  so  she  was  helping  to  write  invitations. 


60 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


This  committee  requested  the  use  of  the  room  for 
practice  after  school  that  evening.  The  parts  were  learned, 
and  very  simple  costumes  were  planned,  each  girl  telling 
what  she'&d&ld  bring  or  make.  Only  a few  things  were  to 
be  made ; a crown  for  the  king  was  one  of  these. 

On  the  following  Monday  the  play  was  given  at  the 
regular  hour  for  the  literature  lesson.  The  audience  was 
requested  to  offer  criticisms.  These  were  kindly  accepted, 
and  the  cast  decided  to  improve  upon  the  play  and  present 
it  before  the  whole  school  at  general  exercises  if  the  per- 
mission of  the  president  could  be  obtained. 

One  of  the  criticisms  made  was  that  when  the  wife  of 
Pythias  received  the  note  containing  the  king’s  decree  that 
her  husband  must  be  executed,  she  fainted;  but  the  au- 
dience had  no  way  of  knowing  the  cause  of  her  faint.  The 
next  time  it  was  played  she  read  the  note  aloud  before 
fainting. 

While  this  was  not  strictly  work  which  the  children 
had  originated,  the  plan  of  giving  the  play  before  an  audi- 
ence was  entirely  their  own. 

The  pupils  at  various  times  during  the  day  wished  to 
tell  what  work  they  had  done  or  planned.  The  teacher  sug- 
gested that  the  time  for  other  regular  work  should  not  be 
taken  for  this ; but  if  they  wished  occasionally  to  devote  the 
period  set  apart  for  work  planned  by  themselves  to  re- 
ports, each  committee  that  had  something  worth  giving 
might  report  before  the  whole  school. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


61 


The  first  report  was  so  lengthy  that  the  allotted  thirty- 
five  minutes  were  not  sufficient,  and  the  pupils  agreed  to 
continue  on  the  following  day.  This  report  was  extremely 
interesting.  The  teacher  asked  the  pupils  what  committee 
they  would  like  to  hear  from  first.  Some  one  suggested  the 
sewing  group.  Their  report  was  well  planned,  and  that  en- 
tirely without  the  teacher’s  help.  The  president  took 
charge,  calling  on  the  members  of  the  committee  to  place  all 
articles  made  and  being  made  on  a table  in  front  of  the 
room.  Then  the  secretary  was  asked  to  read  the  daily  min- 
utes which  showed  the  official  workings  of  the  committee, 
where  articles  were  obtained,  how  money  was  raised  and  ex- 
pended. The  president  then  called  on  the  different  mem- 
bers to  show  and  explain  their  work,  which  each  did,  an- 
swering any  questions  asked  by  the  school  concerning  the 
original  plans  or  the  method  of  work.  This  report  was  so 
interesting  that  it  proved  to  be  a great  stimulus  to  some  of 
the  weaker  and  not  so  well  organized  groups.  While  there 
was  so  great  a variety  of  work  exhibited  yet  the  report 
showed  a unity  of  purpose  and  a helpful  spirit. 

Up  to  this  point  the  work  has  been  considered  from  the 
detailed  and  concrete  side.  It  may  be  profitable  to  note 
some  generalizations  drawn  by  the  teacher. 

There  are  frequent  opportunities  for  the  pupils  to 
teach  one  another  in  this  work.  The  very  effort  of  the  child 
to  show  his  fellow  worker  how  to  improve  reacts  upon 
himself.  He  becomes  a more  severe  critic  of  his  own  work. 

But  perhaps  a more  important  feature  in  this  method 
is  the  confidence  the  children  gain  in  themselves,  and  their 


62 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


increased  ability  to  set  forth  clearly  their  ideas  and  plans. 
Early  in  the  work,  criticism  by  the  teacher  was  likely  to 
result  fatally,  as  the  children  weakly  yielded  to  her  sug- 
gestions, giving  up  their  own  plans  and  accepting  her  ideas 
without  any  reason  whatever  except  that  she  was  the 
teacher. 

Later  there  was  seen  to  be  marked  development  in 
the  entire  room.  The  child  who  had  gained  confidence 
in  himself  gave  his  reason  for  the  faith  that  was  in  him 
and  often  convinced  the  teacher.  There  were  two  very 
extreme  cases  where  pupils  who  had  been  diffident  were 
transformed  into  boys  with  strong  opinions  and  clear  rea- 
sons for  these  opinions.  These  two  boys  were  both  on  the 
house  committee  and  felt  the  weight  of  the  responsibility. 

The  helpfulness  of  the  children  to  each  other  has  been 
mentioned.  Closely  related  to  this  is  the  assistance  the 
pupils  gained  at  home.  This  was  not  the  kind  of  help  that 
parents  give  when  they  compel  their  children  to  learn  a 
lesson;  but  help  which  was  warmly  soliticed  by  the  chil- 
dren. Lengthy  papers  and  difficult  drawings  have  been 
worked  out  at  home  with  the  happy  prospect  of  carrying 
out  these  plans  at  school.  The  parents  contributed  not  only 
with  their  ideas,  but  assisted  in  material  ways.  It  seems 
to  be  an  efficacious  means  of  leading  the  pupils  voluntarily 
to  take  their  school  work  into  their  homes. 

The  element  of  drudgery  is  made  easy  by  the  antici- 
pation of  the  materialization  of  their  own  plans.  Eor  years 
we  have  quoted  among  pedagogical  principles : “All  know- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


63 


ledge  to  be  most  effective  must  oe  accompanied  by  a glow 
of  interest.”  It  is  a principle  which  all  teachers  labor 
earnestly  to  observe,  often  even  introducing  artificial  means 
for  its  accomplishment.  In  the  work  above  described  the 
principle  is  forgotten  in  the  glow  of  real  enthusiasm — 

natural  interest — unsolicited  by  the  teacher. 

The  Third  and  Fourth  Grades  were  not  separated  in 
this  work.  The  result  was  that  nearly  every  group  included 
pupils  of  both  grades.  This  condition  tended  to  break  up 
the  rigidity  of  grades  and  to  create  a more  congenial  spirit 
among  the  pupils.  The  teachers  of  various  subjects  felt 
that  the  effect  of  the  group  work  was  to  decrease  the  pres- 
sure of  discipline  and  to  develop  a more  kindly  spirit  to- 
ward teachers  as  well  as  pupils. 

Considerable  difference  was  observed  in  the  ability  of 
the  Third  and  Fourth  Grade  pupils  to  plan  for  a series  of 
steps  in  any  work.  The  Third  Grade  were  not  capable  of 
looking  as  far  ahead  nor  of  holding  their  attention  upon 
one  thing  so  long  as  the  Fourth  Grade.  Far  more  ideas 
were  advanced  by  the  Fourth  Grade  pupils,  and  the  organ- 
ization of  the  groups  including  a majority  of  Fourth  Grade 
children,  was  more  complete  and  effective.  However,  the 
test  was  hardly  fair,  as  there  were  twenty-six  Fourth  Grade 
and  only  fourteen  Third  Grade  pupils  in  the  room. 

The  pupils’  method  of  disciplining  themselves  was 
worth  noting.  It  arose  from  real  needs,  the  children  ob- 
serving that  they  could  not  carry  out  their  plans  where 
there  was  disorder  in  the  group.  Early  in  the  work  when 
iii 


64 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


a group  could  not  have  the  teacher’s  assistance  some  mem- 
ber of  the  class  would  volunteer  to  “keep  the  group  quiet” 
or  some  one  would  say,  “Let  Mary  be  the  teacher  and  keep 
us  quiet.”  But  when  they  learned  that  the  teacher  was 
unwilling  to  appoint  a deputy  for  her  place  they  devised 
plans  of  self-government.  True  self-discipline  is  not  the 
meaningless  drudgery  of  “keeping  things  quiet”  because 
the  teacher  wishes  it  or  because  “it  is  nice  to  have  it  so.” 
Self-government  arises  from  the  felt  need  of  the  children 
to  make  conditions  such  as  will  be  most  conducive  to  the 
best  possible  work.  Sometimes  the  officials  of  the  group  at- 
tempted to  assume  too  much  authority  and  were  remon- 
strated with  by  the  members.  Sometimes  a child  became 
disorderly  and  refused  to  do  his  wrork  so  that  the  group 
were  compelled  to  withdraw  from  him.  Several  times  the 
entire  group  became  noisy  and  disturbed  others  in  the 
room.  In  such  cases  the  teacher  appealed  to  the  president 
or  other  official,  and  if  he  were  not  able  to  bring  about 
order  the  entire  group  was  considered  a hindrance  to  the 
room  and  was  asked  by  the  teacher  to  join  those  who  had 
no  plans  and  who  were  doing  work  arranged  by  the  teacher. 

The  wTork  planned  by  the  pupils  has  a wonderfully 
stimulating  effect  upon  the  teacher  as  well  as  the  pupil.  It 
offers  one  of  the  best  opportunities  for  her  to  know  her 
pupils — their  various  tastes,  their  strength  and  weakness. 

The  teacher  found  it  impossible  to  be  of  service  to  the 
various  committees  if  she  attempted  to  examine  the  plans 
during  the  hour  at  which  they  worked.  When  she  pre- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO, 


65 


sented  this  difficulty  to  the  school  they  saw  the  necessity  of 
giving  her  their  plans  on  the  preceding  day  in  order  that 
she  might  have  one  evening  in  which  to  examine  them. 
From  this  time  a few  seats  in  the  room  were  reserved  for 
those  who  wished  to  write  plans.  While  many  did  this  at 
home  there  were  usually  a few  writing  plans  at  school  each 
day. 


HOUSE  APPROACHING  COMPLETION. 


66 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


At  first  there  was  a tendency  to  be  hasty  and  careless 
about  the  writing.  The  teacher  declined  spending  her  time 
on  carelessly  written  papers,  and  the  pupils  found  it  inn 
portant  to  exercise  care  in  all  writing,  spelling  and  draw* 
ing  if  plans  were  to  receive  attention.  As  the  work  pro- 
gressed  many  of  the  pupils  took  almost  as  much  pride  in  the 
accuracy  and  neat  appearance  of  the  plans  as  in  the  com- 
pleted work.  A good,  well-written  plan  had  its  effect  in 
convincing  the  teacher  of  the  value  of  the  proposed  work. 

Measuring  and  figuring  were  often  necessary,  hut 
only  a small  per  cent  of  the  number  work  usually  given  in 
these  grades  ever  arose  in  the  children’s  plans. 

The  question  has  been  asked  by  some  who  have  seen 
the  work,  “How  much  of  the  school  time  could  profitably 
be  spent  in  work  planned  by  the  children  V9  Perhaps  only 
observation  as  the  work  develops  could  enable  one  to  answer 
this  question.  In  these  grades  the  time  given  to  this  work, 
up  to  the  present  (Christmas),  has  been  from  one  to  three 
hours  a week,  with  an  average  of  about  two  hours  each 
week. 

This  is  a very  small  per  cent  of  the  school  time.  The 
brief  course  of  study  below  shows  something  of  the  scope 
of  the  regular  work  outlined  for  the  children. 

LITERATURE. 

Robinson  Crusoe. 

Hiawatha. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


67 


Stories  from  Hawthorne’s  Wonder  Book  and  Tangle- 
wood  Tales. 

Horse  Myths. 

Nibelung  Tales. 

Appropriate  stories  are  given  for  Thanksgiving, 
Christmas  and  the  birthdays  of  Washington  and  Lincoln. 

The  developing  method  is  used  in  presenting  the  lit- 
erature. The  pupils,  with  the  teacher’s  help,  then  make 
an  outline  consisting  of  a series  of  interesting  points,  ar- 
ranged according  to  the  degree  of  interest.  Later  the 
pupils  write  these  stories  in  their  own  words,  having  this 
outline  to  guide  them  in  the  arrangement  of  the  story. 
The  pupils  are  encouraged  to  make  their  original  writing 
the  final  one,  if  they  are  capable  of  doing  so.  Their  aim 
in  writing  is  to  preserve  a collection  of  these  stories,  which 
they  hind  in  permanent  form. 

As  the  teacher  observes  the  work  of  the  pupils  and 
discovers  their  needs  in  writing,  spelling  and  language, 
she  sets  apart  a portion  of  the  time  for  special  work  along 
these  lines. 


READING. 

To  reading  is  given  more  time  than  to  any  other  one 
subject,  as  this  is  the  avenue  through  which  much  of  the 
child’s  knowledge  is  to  he  obtained.  Emphasis  is  laid 
upon  gaining  the  thought  by  silent  reading,  as  well  as  by 
oral  expression. 


68 


STATE  NOEMAL  SCHOOL 


The  following  are  some  of  the  books  used : 

Baldwin’s  Third  Year. 

Cyr’s  Third  Reader. 

Fairy  Tales  and  Fables  by  Thompson. 

Robinson  Crusoe  for  Boys  and  Girls,  by  Lida  B. 
McMurry  and  Mary  Husted.  This  is  read 
after  it  has  been  used  as  Literature. 
Baldwin’s  Fourth  Year. 

Hans  Andersen’s  Stories. 

Fifty  Famous  Stories  Retold  by  Baldwin. 
Baldwin’s  Old  Greek  Stories — used  as  litera- 
ture earlier  in  the  year. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


69 


Legends  of  Norseland,  by  Mara  L.  Pratt — used 
as  literature  in  the  winter  and  read  in  the 
spring. 

Children  are  encouraged  to  bring  stories  from  home 
which  they  have  prepared  to  read  to  the  class. 

Each  pupil  is  allowed  to  take  one  book  from  the  li- 
brary each  week  to  read  at  his  home. 

NATURE  STUDY. 

Nature  study  work  is  divided  between  the  general 
observation  of  outdoor  life  and  the  detailed  study  of  ob- 
jects brought  to  class.  Frequent  excursions  are  made  for 
the  purpose  of  studying  flowers,  plants,  trees  and  birds  in 
their  habitat.  Children  should  have  a speaking  acquaint- 
ance with  many  more  plants  and  animals  than  can  possibly 
be  studied  in  a detailed  way.  In  the  fall  the  migration  of 
birds,  the  preparation  of  all  nature  for  winter  is  observed. 
Leaves,  seeds,  cocoons,  etc.,  are  gathered.  In  the  spring 
a garden  is  planted  on  the  campus  and  its  growth  watched. 
During  these  two  seasons  the  children  do  much  of  their 
work  out  of  doors. 


70 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


In  the  winter  season  snow  crystals,  salt  crystals  and 
rocks  are  studied.  The  life  histories  of  some  animals  are 
taken  up,  e.  g.,  the  study  of  the  beaver.  As  the  subject  is 
developed,  the  pupils  work  out  in  the  sand  table  the 
beaver’s  home,  showing  the  trees  in  various  stages  of  prep- 
aration for  building  a dam,  and  the  house  of  the  beaver. 
Small  clay  beavers  are  modeled  from  a mounted  specimen 
and  placed  in  these  homes. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


71 


Aside  from  the  sand  table  work  and  moulding,  free 
hand  cutting  and  drawing  are  done  in  this  connection. 

A book  is  written  containing  a series  of  chapters  on 
the  subjects  studied.  Later  this  book  is  used  as  reading 
material. 

Physical  experiments  in  magnetism,  electricity,  heat 
and  light  are  made.  These  are  carefully  written  up  and 
illustrated  with  drawings,  then  bound  in  permanent  form 
with  other  written  work  by  the  children. 

. GEOGRAPHY. 

LOCAL  FEATURES. 

Study  of  soils,  sand,  irrigation,  drainage,  hills  and 
valleys.  Maps  of  school  room,  school  grounds,  and  of 
Greeley.  Clay  modeling  and  sand  table  work  in  this  con- 
nection. 

LOCAL  INDUSTRIES. 

Visit  to:  a building  in  process  of  erection,  the  beet 
sugar  factory,  a blacksmith  shop,  etc.  (“Tarr  and  Mc- 
Murry”  is  used  as  reference  book  for  the  teacher). 

NUMBER  WORK. 

While  much  of  the  number  work  arises  from  other 
subjects  taught,  we  plan  to  cover  the  following  work: 
Sense  training,  sight,  touch,  hearing.  Objects  are  used  as 
the  basis  of  all  work.  Ratios  of  time,  value,  distance. 

OBJECTIVE  WORK  IN  NUMBER. 

Rapid  drills  in  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication 
and  division.  Application  of  these  in  the  form  of  concrete 


72 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


problems  correlated  with  other  subjects.  Long  and  square 
measure.  Areas  of  rectangular  fields,  of  square  and  rect- 
angular gardens  (correlated  with  garden  work). 

MUSIC. 

(Outlined  by  Music  Director.) 

The  sub-dominant  chord  and  all  new  intervals  possi- 
ble with  tones  of  the  same.  Melodic  resolutions  of  tones. 
Motion  of  parts.  Two  part  singing.  Simple  dissonances. 
Sing,  write,  point  and  indicate  songs  and  exercises  from 
memory.  The  half  and  two-quarter  heat;  the  two-quar- 
ters and  half  heat.  The  three-quarters  and  quarter  beat. 
The  triplet.  Given  the  key  tone,  to  recognize  and  write 
any  exercise  or  song  involving  the  foregoing  elements. 
Ear  exercises  daily. 

Meaning  of  key  and  time  signs.  Chromatic  seconds. 
To  reproduce  easy  songs  from  teacher’s  singing.  Three 
and  four  part  rounds.  Transition  to  first  remove.  Given 
C,  to  find  any  key.  To  reproduce  the  modulator  as  far  as 
four  sharps  and  four  flats.  Part  pulse  dissonances.  Daily 
use  of  modulator  and  manual  signs. 

DRAWING. 

(Outlined  by  the  Drawing  Teacher.) 

Nature  Study. — In  fall  and  springtime,  study  of 
leaves,  sprays  and  plants,  birds,  insects,  animals  and  posed 
figure  in  winter  term. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


73 


Landscape. — Simple  elements  of  natural  scenery; 
natural  phenomena. 

Object. — Common  flat  objects,  natural  and  artificial; 
study  grouping. 

Color. — The  six  standard  colors  and  six  intermediate 
hues.  Study  of  tints  and  shades.  Color  analysis. 

Elementary  Design. — Balance  and  proportion  of 
dark  and  light.  Principle  of  subordination  and  repetition. 
Study  of  rhythm  and  terms. 

Correlation. — Illustration  of  other  branches,  as  Bead- 
ing, Literature  and  Nature  Study.  Illustration  of  anni- 
versaries and  holidays. 

Picture  Study. — Study  of  good  pictures  or  reproduc- 
tions for  the  purpose  of  cultivating  taste,  ideal  concep- 
tions and  developing  in  them  an  appreciation  of  correct 
ideals  of  graphic  expression. 


74 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


FIFTH  AND  SIXTH  GRADE  WORK. 

By  Elizabeth  H.  Kendal. 


■5^ 


jVERY  teacher  wishes  to  develop  self- 
control,  self-reliance,  energy  and  de- 
cision of  action  and  to  foster  original- 
ity in  her  pupils.  To  do  this  she  uses 
every  indication  which  shows  the 
trend  of  interest  and  purpose  in  a 
£:•  recitation  to  gain  a closer,  a more 
i-  intimate  knowledge  of  the  child 
and  to  guide  her  in  directing  the 
work  to  their  best  development. 

Beside  the  periods  we  devote  to  work  in  which  the 
child  takes  the  initiative  and  the  teacher  simply  helps  in 
the  work  offered  by  the  pupils  as  they  desire  her  assistance 
or  accept  her  suggestions,  we  have  done  some  work  in  the 
various  branches  studied  in  Fifth  and  Sixth  Grades,  based 
upon  propositions  from  the  pupils  of  which  a few  examples 
may  not  be  uninteresting. 

A class  in  the  Fifth  Grade,  who  were  studying  peri- 
meters and  areas,  proposed  that  they  should  find  the  area 
of  the  stand-pipe,  which  is  a part  of  the  city  water  supply 
system.  While  considering  the  advisability  of  this  plan, 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


75 


the  objection  was  raised  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  find 
the  altitude;  but  one  pupil  recalled  the  fact  that  the  tank 
was  marked  off  in  sections,  that  were  not  very  high,  and 
suggested  that  one  might  be  measured  and  the  altitude 
computed.  So  armed  with  a hundred-foot  tape  line,  a 
yard  stick,  and  note  books,  they  went  next  day,  accom- 
panied by  their  teacher,  to  the  stand-pipe  a quarter  of  a 
mile  distant  where  the  measurements  were  taken.  When 
the  calculations  had  been  made,  the  question  as  to  the  num- 
ber of  cubic  feet  and  the  number  of  gallons  it  would  con- 
tain, arose.  This  led  in  the  following  lessons  to  the  study 
of  the  volume  of  cylinders,  for  which  they  found  the  rela- 
tion of  the  diameter  to  the  circumference  necessary.  This 
was  given  them  by  their  teacher  after  they  had  by  measure- 
ments found  various  results : as  31/8,  31/5,  etc.  The  inter^ 
est  taken  in  these  subsequent  lessons,  fully  compensated  for 
trouble  taken  and  was  suggestive  to  us,  at  least. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  recitations  which  we  have 
had  in  history  this  year  was  a council  to  which  the  Fifth 
Grade  invited  us.  In  their  study  of  the  explorations  of 
Father  Marquettei  and  Joliet,  they  had  followed  their 
wanderings  down  the  Mississippi  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ar- 
kansas, which  was  the  farthest  point  reached  by  the  expe- 
dition, and  finding  that  a council  was  held  there  between 
the  white  men  and  the  Indians  to  consider  the  best  course 
of  procedure,  the  children  decided  to  reproduce  the  scene  as 
nearly  as  possible.  They  sought  with  equal  zeal  to  find 
what  they  deemed  suitable  costumes  and  arguments  to  sup- 


76 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


port  their  positions.  The  Indians  urged  the  white  men  to 
stay  with  them  to  pray  and  preach  or  trade  as  they  felt 
the  leaders  could  he  most  easily  influenced,  and  reported 
monsters  in  the  river  and  hostile  natives  in  the  region  to 
the  south.  Some  of  the  white  men  urged  that  they  con- 


tinue their  journey  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  others  that 
they  return  to  Fort  Frontenac  and  report  progress  to  the 
governor  before  it  was  too  late.  This  argument  finally  de- 
cided the  matter,  and  after  being  given  guides  by  these 
friendly  Indians,  they  departed  on  their  homeward  way. 


GREELEY.,  COLORADO. 


77 


Inspired  by  a desire  to  represent  their  parts  well  the  chil- 
dren questioned  their  teachers  and  read  all  available  ma- 
terial in  order  to  get  light  upon  the  characters  they  were 
to  represent  and  showed  considerable  ingenuity  and  ideas 
of  appropriateness  in  the  working  out  of  their  parts. 

The  children  proposed  when  we  began  the  study  of 
the  Plymouth  Colony  that  they  should  build  a house  as  sim- 
ilar as  possible  to  those  of  the  Pilgrims.  Though  it  seemed 
a large  undertaking  for  them,  the  teacher  thought  that  it 
could  be  accomplished,  if  it  were  planned  carefully.  So 
planning  together,  they  decided  to  build  a log  house, 
5x8x5^,  which  was  to  have  a chimney  and  fireplace.  After 
planning  the  details  of  the  work,  the  class  was  divided  into 
committees,  to  measure,  saw,  and  chisel  the  logs  and  to 


clear  the  ground  for  the  house.  As  they  had  no  stone  nor 
brick,  with  which  to  build  the  chimney,  they  decided  to 


78 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


make  the  brick  themselves.  This  gave  employment  to 
those  who  could  not  work  on  the  logs.  They  also  appointed 
two  secretaries  to  keep  records  of  the  plans  made  and  of  the 
work  accomplished  each  day. 

The  work  was  begun  with  enthusiasm  and  in  fact  did 
not  lack  in  interest  to  the  majority  of  the  children  until  we 
stopped  working.  But  either  because  of  injudicious  plan- 
ning or  because  the  work  was  really  too  difficult  for  them, 
it  dragged  from  week  to  week  until  it  became  too  cold  for 
work  and,  though  the  children  said  that  the  Pilgrims  did 
not  stop  for  a snow  storm,  we  though  it  best  to  abandon  the 
work  at  least  until  spring. 

As  the  history  work  did  not  stop  at  the  same  time,  it 
will  of  course  be  finished,  not  as  a part  of  the  history  work, 
but  as  a manual  training  exercise. 

Although  it  was  something  of  a disappointment  and 
as  it  stands  thus  unfinished  is  a monument  to  our  imperfect 
judgment  and  planning,  we  derived  many  benefits  from 
the  work.  The  interest  in  all  subjects  pertaining  to  the 
life  of  the  colony  was  stimulated  to  a great  degree  and 
they  read  all  they  could  find  upon  the  topics  considered 
during  the  sessions  of  the  class  in  the  school  room,  for  ex- 
ample such  topics  as : How  they  lighted  their  houses.  How 
they  told  time,  etc.  In  connection  with  this  work,  they 
made  sun-dials,  candles,  and  candlesticks,  wrote  paragraphs 
and  told  incidents  in  the  lives  of  settlers,  showing  their 
character,  laws,  customs,  relation  to  the  Indians,  etc. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


79 


The  difficulties  that  they  met  with  in  their  work  made 
them  appreciate  more  fully  the  privations  and  hardships  of 
the  faithful  band  at  Plymouth  and  impressed  indelibly 
upon  their  minds  the  image  of  the  little  log  house  and  what 
it  typified. 

This  plan  having  been  partially  unsuccessful,  a plan 
was  proposed  which  the  children  adopted  with  pleasure  and 
which,  after  having  been  in  operation  for  six  weeks,  prom- 
ises to  be  the  most  successful  of  any  work  we  have  done  this 
year.  The  class  has  been  divided  into  five  groups,  each 
group  chooses  a colony  the  history  of  which  it  is  to  study 
and  present  to  the  others.  After  careful  preparation  the 
group  reports  to  the  entire  class  the  facts  which  it  thinks 
important  or  interesting  and  is  criticised  freely  by  the 
others,  often  having  to  look  up  points  more  fully  and  re- 
port again.  Each  child  in  the  class  keeps  a note-book  in 
which  he  records  the  principal  events  in  the  report  given 
during  the  preceding  lesson.  The  group  then  takes  the 
material  that  it  has  gathered  and,  cutting  out  all  detailed 
and  unimportant  points,  prepares  a history  of  the  colony. 

If  this  chart  is  approved  by  the  entire  class  and  the 
teacher,  it  is  printed  and  is  kept  as  permanent  record  of 
the  work  accomplished.  (See  chart,  page  89.) 

The  work  differs  from  the  other  examples  given  in 
having  originated  in  the  mind  of  a teacher  but  in  having 
the  details  worked  out  almost  entirely  by  the  pupils.  The 
pupils  are  supplied  with  books,  Eiske,  Montgomery,  Pratt’s 
American  History  Stories,  Dutton’s  Colonies,  etc.,  from 


80 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


which  they  gather  material  as  they  desire,  although  they 
are  grateful  for  suggestions  or  questions  that  aid  them,  for 
example : Superintendent  Miller  of  Denver,  while  visiting 
during  one  of  their  study-recitations,  gave  them  work  for 
an  entire  period  by  asking  why  Delaware  was  curved  on 
the  northern  boundary. 

The  interest  in  the  work  is  quite  remarkable ; the  re- 
ports, usually  well  prepared ; the  criticisms,  sensible, 
kindly,  and  helpful ; but  the  secret  of  its  success  lies  in  my 
judgment  in  the  deeply-rooted  love  of  humanity  to  realize 
its  desires  in  action,  for  it  is  in  the  magic  printing  of  the 
chart  that  the  attraction,  which  calls  forth  their  best  ef- 
forts, resides. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


81 


THE  DELAWARE  COLONY. 


Delaware-  was  settled  by 
the  Swedes  in  the  year 
1688. 

The  company  that  was 
sent  over  from  Sweden 

were  plain,  strb n g,  and 
industrious  people.  The  Swedes  hadn’t  had 
possession  of  the  land  ten  years  when  thecDutcii 
of  New  York  came  in  and  took  it  from  the  Swedes 
and  sent  all  of  them  back  to  Sweden  who  ° * 
would  not  obey  their  laws.  Then  the  English 
took  it  from  t he  Dutch  in  1665. 

The  English  owned  Virginia  Massachusetts 
and  Pennsylvania  and  they  wanted  NewJer. 
sey  and  Delaware  so  t hat  i f a ny  of  the  coun 
tries  across  the  ocean  should  want  to  fight 
with  them  that  they  would  have  a betterchancd 

to  fight  as  they  did  not  want  their  country  d i 
vided.  A 

William  Penn  thought  he  would  like  io 
have  the  land  so  hebought  it  from  theDuke 
of  Vork,  it  was  considered  a part  of  Pennsylvania 
so  he  called  it  the  Territory, 

There  were  farms  that  extended  into  Penn* 

sylvanla  which  belonged  to  Delaware.  When 


82 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


During  the  winter  term  we  have  been  making  a series 
of  simple  experiments  in  physics.  Now,  one  of  the  great 
faults  in  past  teaching  and  especially  in  science,  has  been 
that  it  was  the  teacher  who  asked  nearly  all  the  questions 
and  though  the  child  might  follow  her  guidance  with  intel- 
ligent interest,  he  did  not  feel  encouraged  and  inspired  to 
make  personal  investigations  in  the  realm  of  nature.  For 
this  reason,  the  teacher  in  charge  of  this  class  has  taken 
advantage  of  many  of  the  questions  asked  in  class  by  re- 
ferring them  in  experimental  form  to  nature.  Many  of 
these  experiments  may  seem  trivial  from  a mature  point  of 
view,  hut,  because  they  encourage  the  children  to  try  things 
for  themselves  and  to  have  faith  in  their  ability  to  do  some- 
thing of  themselves  that  is  worth  while  and  also  because  it 
may  he  of  importance  in  the  development  of  the  child, 
though  of  small  account  to  us,  we  consider  these  little 
efforts  of  the  greatest  importance. 

A few  such  problems  that  arose  are : 

Would  not  either  end  of  this1  magnet  attract  either  end 
of  another  magnet  ? 

Will  a magnet  gather  iron  filings  from  out  of  a pan  of 
water  ? 

If  the  magnetism  passes  through  things  it  will  not  at- 
tract, will  it  not  attract  a brass  cup  if  the  cup  is  filled  with 
iron  filings  ? 

If  we  were  to  mix  the  iron  filings  with  sand,  would 
the  magnet  pick  them  up  ? 

How  large  is  the  magnetic  field  of  this  magnet? 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


83 


Does  a glass  have  to  be  a round  tube  to  be  electrified  ? 

When  the  pith  ball  is  repelled  by  the  comb  after  it 
has  been  attracted,  does  the  electricity  in  the  pith  ball  at- 
tract the  brass  rod  ? 

One  thing  that  the  comb  will  not  attract  is  glass. 
(Proved  incorrect.) 

From  these  glimpses  of  the  work  done  in  the  Fifth 
and  Sixth  Grades,  an  idea  may  be  gained  of  the  spirit  of 
the  work  done,  though  it  is  too  fragmentary  and  discon- 
nected to  give  anything  beyond  that. 

A very  brief  and  rough  outline  of  work  covered  in 
these  grades  is  appended. 

HISTORY. 

In  history  the  lives  of  discoverers  and  explorers,  as 
DeSoto,  LaSalle,  Drake,  Hudson,  Fremont,  etc. ; the  Colo- 
nies, King  Phillip’s  war,  French  and  Indian  war,  events 
leading  to  the  Revolutionary  war. 

SCIENCE. 

F all  flowers  and  plant  life.  Animals  of  locality,  e.  g ., 
coyote,  gopher,  and  related  species,  especial  study  of  can- 
ines, felines,  and  rodents;  climatic  conditions;  weather 
chart;  forms  of  water;  forms  of  matter;  simple  experi- 
ments in  light,  magnetism,  electricity,  liquid  and  air  pres- 
sure; recognition  of  common  kinds  of  rocks  found  on  ex- 
cursions ; birds  that  spend  the  winter  in  Greeley,  birds  re- 


84 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


turning  in  the  spring;  spring  flowers  and  germination  of 
seeds. 


GEOGRAPHY. 

The  world  as  a whole ; forms  of  land  and  water ; types 
and  comparison  of  examples — river  basin  and  work  of 
erosion  from  study  of  an  arroyo  nearby,  comparing  it  with 
the  Mississippi,  the  Rile,  etc. ; trade  relations  and  indus- 
tries, dependence  upon  climate  and  topography,  e.  g.,  cattle 
industry,  life  of  ranchman  and  cowboy,  round-up,  ship- 
ment, trade  centers,  packing-houses,  products,  exports,  and 
countries  to  which  they  are  sent ; influence  of  the  harrier  of 
the  Rocky  mountains  upon  this  industry,  geography  of 
North  America,  and  dependencies  of  the  United  States. 
Tarr  and  McMurry,  Redway  and  Hinman,  and  Erye  are 
used  as  text-hooks.  Excursions  and  imaginary  journeys 
are  taken. 

ARITHMETIC. 

We  finish  the  Elementary  and  begin  the  Advanced 
hook  of  Speer’s  Arithmetic.  In  Sixth  grade  we  cover  the 
subject  of  fractions  including  work  on  accounts  and  bills. 

LITERATURE. 

When  necessary,  owing  to  lack  of  previous  training, 
we  give  Greek  and  Norse  myths  and  hero  stories,  also  sto- 
ries of  famous  men  and  women  of  all  nations.  After  hav- 
ing such  a foundation,  we  take  up  stories  from  Norse  his- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


85 


tory.  The  Vikings ; the  coming  of  the  Angles  and  Saxons ; 
an  adaptation  of  Beowulf;  the  beginnings  of  nations,  life 
and  movements  of  masses  instead  of  individuals,  as  illus- 
trated in  the  Aryans,  Greeks,  Romans,  Teutons ; the  King 
Arthur  legends.  Flight  of  the  Tartar  Tribe — adapted — 
etc. 

CORRELATED  WORK. 

Language  work,  spelling  and  writing  do  not  have  spe- 
cial periods  set  aside  for  their  study,  but  are  correlated 
with  the  other  work  and  make  a part  of  every  subject. 

Reading  is  correlated  wherever  possible  with  other 
subjects,  especially  science  and  literature.  In  the  read- 
ing classes  equal  attention  is  given  to  expression  and  sight 
reading. 

On  the  expression  side  of  our  work,  though  we  have 
special  lessons  where  the  attention  is  given  to  the  princi- 
ples of  drawing,  use  of  water  colors,  etc.,  pencil,  chalk, 
charcoal,  clay,  and  wax  are  used  for  illustrative  and  con- 
structive work  in  all  the  branches.  For  example  in  read- 
ing, geography,  literature  and  history,  we  illustrate  word 
pictures  given  by  the  pupils,  teacher,  or  text. 

In  science  we  draw  or  model  animals  studied ; design 
borders  for  weather  charts  and  make  drawings  of  apparatus 
used  in  experiments,  we  design  badges  and  banners  for 
field  day  exercises  of  physical  culture  class. 


86 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


MANUAL  TRAINING. 

Sloyd  and  sewing  are  given  in  these  grades,  the  chil- 
dren choosing  the  articles  to  be  made. 

In  Sloyd  the  boys  have  made  sleds,  pin-trays,  doll- 
beds,  or  cradles  for  little  sisters’  dolls,  a little  cabinet,  a 
book-case,  a water-wheel,  bows  and  arrows,  checker-hoards 
(inlaid  wood),  picture  frames  decorated  with  carving  or 
by  pyrography,  etc. 

In  sewing  the  girls  have  made  needle-cases,  handker- 
chiefs, party-bags,  doll  clothes  and,  in  the  Sixth  Grade, 
skirts  for  themselves. 


MUSIC. 

Two  short  music  lessons  are  given  each  day,  in  which 
many  melodious  exercises,  rounds,  and  songs  are  given 
from  best  composers,  with  constant  effort  to  train  musical 
taste  and  appreciation.  The  technical  work  is  given  when 
it  is  necessary  for  the  interpretation  of  an  exercise  or  song 
which  they  are  to  give,  and  only  as  it  is  a natural  outgrowth 
of  the  desire  to  understand  a selection  and  the  application 
is  direct.  Some  of  the  points  brought  out  by  these  means 
are: 

Quarter-heat  rests,  syncopations,  chromatic  tones  by 
leaps,  sections,  sharp  4 and  flat  7 as  chromatics,  ear  exer- 
cises and  modulator  daily,  voice  leadings,  indicating  tran- 
sition, chromatic  resolutions,  reproduction  of  modulator 
from  memory,  the  minor  mode,  elements  of  melody, 
phrases,  sections,  periods,  melodic  cadence,  analytical  reci- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


87 


tations  with  especial  regard  to  constants.  Reproduction  of 
the  extended  modulator.  Major,  minor,  and  diminished 
chords. 

Beautiful  and  simple  songs  from  the  best  composers 
are  sung  for  the  children  bj  the  teacher  or  by  invited 
artists  at  intervals  as  an  inspiration  and  ideal. 

SUBJECTS  TAUGHT  IN  THE  EIFTH  AND 
SIXTH  GRADES. 

Reading,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  Spelling,  Grammar, 
Composition,  Language,  Literature,  History,  Geography, 
Sloyd,  Sewing,  Cooking,  Music,  Drawing,  Modeling,  In- 
dustrial and  Constructive  Work,  Nature  Study. 


88 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


WORK  IN  HISTORY— EIGHTH  GRADE. 

By  Eliza  George  Klein  sorge. 


* I ''HE  study  of  the  administrations  is  difficult  for  be- 
* ginners  in  history,  when  the  presidents,  following  in 
rapid  succession,  are  made  the  basis  of  mental  procedure. 
The  sojourn  of  our  executive  in  the  national  seat  of  honor 
is  so  short  and,  except  in  a few  cases,  his  influence  is  so 
limited  that  he  does  not  become  a fitting  ideal  around 
which  to  group  ideas  for  the  pupils  who  at  this  age  are 
forming  their  own  ideals  of  life.  At  this  period  it  seems 
best  to  teach  our  national  history  with  the  prevailing  social 
development  and  political  ideas  as  the  basis  of  procedure, 
emphasizing  our  great  men  in  any  line  of  work  and  bring- 
ing them  as  ideals  before  the  students.  With  this  in  mind 
the  following  plan  was  tried  with  an  Eighth  Grade  class : 

It  was  thought  best,  in  so  far  as  possible,  to  have  the 
pupils  really  experience  the  history  studied;  not  to  take 
time  to  dramatize  each  part,  not  to  work  it  out  on  the  labo- 
ratory plan  as  though  they  were  post-graduates  in  Berlin ; 
and,  not  that  they  were  to  be  grown  up  men  and  women 
making  of  themselves  a backward  moving  panorama  over 
the  historical  world,  but  that  they  were  to  be  schoolboys 
and  schoolgirls  living  and  thinking  during  the  time  that 


GREELEY^  COLORADO. 


89 


this  particular  bit  of  history  was  being  made,  and,  in  their 
own  way,  live  and  make  that  bit  of  history. 

The  preparation  for  this  was  a saturation  of  ideas  con- 
cerning the  social  conditions  of  this  time.  The  class  was 
divided  into  three  divisons — the  Southern,  the  Middle, 
and  the  New  England  people.  In  every  way'  possible,  the 
class  was  flooded  with  facts ; every  thing  to  be  found  con- 
cerning the  manufactures,  commerce,  products,  costumes, 
customs,  home  and  public  life,  education  and  religion,  was 
made  a part  of  their  lives.  Their  recitations  were  conver- 
sations among  themselves,  each  group  trying  to  give  the 
others  a perfect  idea  of  the  social  conditions  of  their  sec- 
tion of  the  country.  A Southerner  told  how  he  spent  his 
Christmas,  a Pennsylvanian  grew  eloquent  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  an  exciting  trip  from  Philadelphia  to  New  York, 
accomplished  in  two  short  days  by  the  flying  stage,  the 
New  Englander  tamed  their  hilarity  with  a long  talk  on 
his  previous  day’s  experience,  it  being  the  holy  Sabbath. 

The  administrations  were  begun  by  forming  the  three 
departments  of  government : 

One  member  of  the  class  was  elected  President  Wash- 
ington and  was  “so  nominated  in  the  social  bond”  both  in 
and  out  of  school.  He  appointed  a cabinet  to  assist  him 
in  his  arduous  duties. 

A supreme  judge  and  four  associate  judges  were  ap- 
pointed. 

The  whole  school  was  formed  into  a house  of  repre- 
sentatives and  a senate.  The  school-room  was  divided  in 


90 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


two  by  a home-made  curtain  so  that  each  house  had  a 
place  of  meeting.  The  pupils  now  assumed  the  age,  name 
and  responsibilities  of  the  member  of  congress  whom  they 
represented. 

Washington  committed  and  delivered  to  congress  the 
noted  speech  made  famous  by  the  real  George  a century 
ago.  The  questions  of  the  day  came  up  before  congress  in 
the  form  of  bills  and  were  warmly  discussed  by  the  mem- 
bers. The  young  senator  stood  firmly  for  the  rights  of 
the  South,  while  the  representative  from  Massachusetts 
used  all  his  Yankee  wit  to  insure  proper  legislation  for 
New  England.  The  first  questions  were  suggested  by  the 
teachers,  but  very  soon  the  pupils  began  to  see  the  necessity 
of,  and  to  bring  up  questions  of  their  own,  often  things  that 
the  teachers  had  not  thought  of  at  all;  for  instance,  in 
Washington’s  administration,  they  asked  one  day  what  was 
the  condition  of  the  navy  and  began  to  take  measures  to 
strengthen  the  same.  The  bills  at  first  were  prepared  out 
of  school  hours  by  a committee  appointed  by  each  house; 
the  teachers  had  to  meet  with  them  for  long  sitting  to  show 
them  how  to  frame  their  bills,  what  the  questions  meant, 
what  arguments  to  use,  etc.  After  they  were  able  to  stand 
alone,  each  member  of  the  class  framed  a bill  and  the  whole 
class  voted  upon  the  best  one  which  would  be  presented 
before  congress  the  next  day.  Now,  any  committee  ap- 
pointed can  frame  a very  acceptable  bill ; the  pupils  strive 
to  be  put  upon  such  committees;  new  pupils  are  turned 
over  to  them  for  instruction  in  this  branch  of  legislation. 
The  congress  soon  found  that  there  was  a great  deal  of 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


91 


writing  to  be  done  in  copying  all  those  bills,  so  they 
shrewdly  elected  a boy,  who  is  doing  printing  in  another 
phase  of  school  work,  state  printer.  He  prints  the  bills  on 
the  school  press  and  each  member  of  congress  has  a copy 
before  him  at  the  time  of  discussion.  These  bills  are  kept 
and  bound  in  a book,  in  chronological  order.  The  printer 
has  a decided  advantage  in  being  a member  of  congress 
and  often  amends  a bill  by  striking  out  useless  words  be- 
cause it  is  much  easier  to  print.  The  following  is  a 
facsimile  of  a bill : 

MATTIE  MILLER.  REPRESENTATIVE  from  C. 

H.  B.  NO.  6. 

A BILL  FOR 

An  act  to  provide  for  the  admission  of  Maine  as  a free  state  and 
Missouri  as  a slaves  state  with  the  provision  that  slavery  be 
prohibited  west  of  the  Mississippi  and  north  of  the  parallel  30°and  30’ 

A secretary  is  appointed  who  keeps  a record  of  all  the 
doings  of  the  class.  Each  pupil  also  keeps  a record,  of  his 
own  accord,  of  what  he  considers  important.  Many  of 
these  books  are  surprisingly  fine,  almost  little  histories  in 
themselves. 

When  the  Alien  and  Sedition  laws  came  up,  the 
Southerners  concluded  that  they  were  not  “fair,”  as  they 
expressed  it,  and  they  began  looking  up  the  constitution  to 
verify  their  views,  finally  concluding  that  it  was  a ques- 
tion for  the  supreme  court  to  settle  and  a test  case  was 
brought  up  before  that  dignified  body.  This  was  the  first 


92 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


time  that  the  judicial  part  of  our  government  became  a 
vital  part  of  their  history. 

By  the  time  the  Dred  Scott  question  came  up,  they 
were  quite  well  acquainted  with  legal  proceedings.  The 
following  is  a copy  of  one  of  the  lawyer’s  briefs  read  be- 
fore the  court  in  that  noted  case : 


Honorable  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court — In  this 
case,  the  real  question  is  whether  this  nation  can  be  half 
slave  holders  and  half  anti-slave  holders.  A well-known 
saying  of  the  Bible  is,  “A  home  divided  against  itself  can 
not  stand.”  The  story  of  the  case  is  a well-known  one  to 
you ; the  owner  of  this  slave  took  him  to  a free  State,  then 
to  a territory  where  slavery  was  prohibited — it  is  claimed 
that  this  man  is  free  under  the  law. 

According  to  the  constitution,  this  man  can  not  be  a 
citizen  of  any  State  since  he  has  under  the  constitution 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


93 


merely  an  existence  as  a thing,  an  importation  and  no  legal 
claim  to  the  term  citizen. 

An  accepted  definition  for  citizen  is  a person,  native 
or  naturalized — a free  man  as  distinguished  from  a slave. 
This  man  claims  to  he  a citizen  and  to  be  entitled  to  the 
law ; according  to  our  definition  he  is  not  a citizen,  accord- 
ing to  the  constitution  he  is  a thing,  not  a person,  so  taking 
these  two  facts  together,  we  may  see  that  he  is  not  entitled 
to  the  law. 

The  owner  of  Dred  Scott  was  unquestionably . his  pos- 
sessor until  this  action  was  brought. 

My  opponent  said  that  the  constitution  is  not  made 
for  the  Territories,  but  for  the  States.  Amendment  5 
says  that  no  person  shall  be  deprived  of  his  property  with- 
out due  process  of  law.  Dred  Scott  was  Emmerson’s  prop- 
erty. Congress  has  tried  to  deprive  men  of  their  property 
through  the  Missouri  compromise. 

When  the  constitution  was  made,  it  was  made  for  all 
the  United  States,  not  only  for  the  thirteen  original  States, 
but  for  all  the  States  and  Territories. 

How,  let  us  take  an  example,  say  a man  owns  a horse, 
he  goes  to  a State  where  it  is  forbidden  to  have  such  a kind 
of  horse,  he  has  no  intention  of  becoming  a citizen  of  that 
State,  therefore  since  the  law  declares  that  no  citizen  of  this 
State  shall  hold  such  a horse,  he  can  not  be  held  liable  for 
owning  such  a horse,  as  he  is  not  a citizen. 

The  same  thing  applies  in  this  case. 

Therefore,  Honorable  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
said  Scott  is  not  free,  but  still  is  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 


94 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


Emmerson,  who  did  not  declare,  nor  did  he  have  any  inten- 
tion of  becoming  a citizen  of  Illinois  or  Wisconsin. 

ISABEL  CHURCHILL. 

While  working  on  an  appropriation  for  the  Erie  ca- 
nal, one  day,  a Senator  asked  how  much  money  was  in  the 
treasury;  the  Secretary  of  Treasury  was  called  in  to  give 
a general  report  of  the  financial  condition.  The  first 
speaker  on  the  subject  of  the  appropriation  declared  that 
it  would  be  a sin  and  shame  to  spend  $15,000,000  of  gov- 
ernment money  on  a scheme  that  would  benefit  Hew  York 
State  alone.  The  next  speaker  dwelt  loud  and  long  on 
the  benefit  to  the  whole  country  to  be  derived  from  this  one 
water-way.  He  said  that  Western  Hew  York,  Horthern 
Ohio  and  “The  Garden  of  Canada”  were  the  food-produc- 
ing regions,  and  by  furnishing  this  cheap  means  of  trans- 
portation to  the  coast,  the  price  of  breadstuffs  would  be 
lowered  for  all,  particularly  for  the  South,  which  was  the 
chief  buyer;  also  that  the  canal  would  open  up  new  mar- 
kets in  the  West  for  the  products  of  all  other  States.  A 
pupil  stepped  to  the  board,  drew  a map  of  the  region  and 
made  a speech  suggesting  that  the  grain  of  this  region  be 
shipped  via  Great  Lakes,  St.  Lawrence,  Lake  Champlain, 
Hudson  to  Hew  York,  and  that  goods  could  be  shipped  into 
this  same  region  via  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Rivers.  The 
next  speaker  was  scathing  in  his  remarks,  asking  how  the 
boats  could  go  over  the  Hiagara  Falls  and  how  reach  the 
Hudson  from  Lake  Champlain;  he  closed  by  assuring  the 
Senate  that  the  opponent  was  not  well  informed,  for  only 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


95 


last  week  the  House  had  defeated  a bill  to  clear  the  Ohio 
River  of  stumps  and  stones,  making  it  navigable  for  a part 
of  the  year. 

Either  House  can  run  itself  in  the  absence  of  a 
teacher.  One  case  of  disorder  has  occurred  at  such  a time 
— a pupil  who  wanted  to  talk  too  much  without  recogni- 
tion from  the  chair.  From  the  other  side  of  the  curtain 
I heard,  “If  the  Senator  from  Maine  continues  to  disturb 
the  House,  will  the  Sergeant  please  conduct  him  to  the 
hall,”  and  the  wagging  tongue  was  silenced. 

A boy  was  arguing  a point  after  school  with  his  chum 
and  was  getting  the  worst  of  the  argument;  he  gained  the 
upperhand  by  saying,  “How,  Washington,  you  can’t  argue 
that  policy  any  longer,  you  died  last  week ; we  sent  resolu- 
tions to  your  wife.” 

A pupil  who  visited  another  school  brought  back  this 
report:  “I  don’t  see  how  they  understand  their  history  at 
all,  they  study  a book  just  as  it  comes,  whether  it  is  the 
way  the  history  happened  or  not.” 

This  is  the  method,  somewhat  briefly  stated  with  a few 
examples  from  the  children’s  experience,  which  gives  a 
glimpse  of  the  life  they  are  living. 

RESULTS. 

The  interest  is  intense  and  constant.  The  pupils  are 
not  only  interested  in  the  history  of  the  past,  but  also  in 
the  present  history  that  comes  within  the  boundary  of  their 
experience;  when  the  President’s  message  came  out  this 
winter  it  was  eagerly  seized  upon,  was  read  quite  intelli- 


IV 


96 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


gently,  and  compared  with  Washington’s,  noting  the 
changed  conditions  and  also  that  some  of  the  problems  of 
that  time  are  still  of  importance.  Roosevelt’s  ideas 
broadened  their  local  view  of  things  and  now  all  the  actions 
of  Congress  pertaining  to  irrigation,  sugar  tax,  etc.,  are 
looked  after  and  reported  to  the  class  with  greatest  care. 

As  soon  as  the  hill  for  the  appropriation  for  their  Erie 
canal  came  up,  the  whole  class  took  a sudden  interest  in  the 
Panama  question,  and  nothing  on  that  subject  escapes  them. 

The  students  seem  to  comprehend  fully  what  they  are 
doing,  they  refuse  to  take  any  action  until  they  know  the 
why  and  the  wherefore.  Last  week  a phase  of  banking  law 
came  up  that  they  could  not  grasp,  so  they  adjourned  Con- 
gress and  spent  a recitation  on  the  subject;  they  reviewed 
banking  from  Hamilton’s  first  idea  of  it  down  to  the  date 
which  they  were  studying,  and  worked  away,  seeking  in- 
formation from  all  possible  sources  until  they  felt  that 
they  could  again  proceed  intelligently  to  make  laws  con- 
cerning banks. 

By  this  method  the  individual  is  strongly  developed  in 
self-reliance  and  independence.  The  pupil,  in  taking  the 
role  of  Senator,  forgets  himself,  becomes  thoroughly  im- 
bued with  the  idea  he  is  presenting,  loses  all  self-conscious- 
ness and  can  think  and  talk  on  his  feet ; timid  pupils  who 
could  not  make  a complete  sentence  can  talk  entertainingly 
for  five  or  ten  minutes  at  a time. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


97 


The  ability  of  each  pupil  is  utilized — one  becomes  an 
authority  on  tariff,  another  on  finance,  etc.,  and  each  feels 
his  worth  when  he  has  contributed  his  mite  to  the  good 
of  all. 

They  are  seeing  history  in  its  unity  and  full  vitality ; 
they  see  that  events  do  not  happen  by  chance,  neither  is  the 
President  a cause  of  events  to  any  great  degree;  they  see 
that  Presidents  come  and  Presidents  go,  but  principles 
go  on  forever.  They  realize  that  the  times  of  peace  are  the 
vital  epochs  of  history,  and  that  wars  are  only  hindering 
or  retarding  instances  in  the  great  onward  movement. 

They  have  not  studied  the  constitution  in  class  at  all, 
yet  they  know  it  in  a very  vital  way;  they  are  constantly 
searching  through  it  for  a clause  to  support  some  point 
taken  in  the  proceedings,  and  they  fight  like  supreme 
judges  for  its  proper  interpretation. 

The  social  relations  which  this  method  develops  are 
fine.  Each  must  learn  to  respect  the  opinion  of  others, 
must  have  tolerance  and  charity.  When  a boy  becomes 
thoroughly  imbued  with  the  idea  that  there  should  be  a 
tax  on  tobacco,  it  is  often  quite  a shock  to  him  to  see  his 
chum,  who  happens  to  be  a Southerner  through  that  admin- 
istration, protest  against  this  view ; this  brings  him  face  to 
face  with  the  fact  that  he  is  only  one  of  a community,  that 
he  is  only  a part  of  a whole.  Taught  by  this  method,  he 
could  not  graduate,  having  the  idea  that  he  knew  it  all  and 
feeling  a profound  pity  for  those  who  had  preceded  him 
and  intolerance  for  the  classes  that  are  to  follow. 


93 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


The  imagination  of  childhood  is  still  used  in  playing 
the  role  of  politics  and  the  vivid  picture  thus  made  is  in- 
delibly stamped  upon  the  memory.  All  through  the  work 
strong  glimmers  of  the  reasoning  ability  manifest  them- 
selves. The  creative  is  also  there  in  embryo.  Their  char- 
acter sketch  of  Lincoln  is  just  as  real  to  them,  just  as  won- 
derful and  enjoyable  as  is  Miss  Tarbell’s  creation  of  Lin- 
coln. Of  course  it  is  created  in  their  own  image,  an  Eighth 
Grade  image,  but  it  is  there,  strong,  real  and  vivid. 

The  plan  is  not  ideal,  is  not  the  long  sought  royal  road 
to  history  study,  but  it  is  a step  in  that  direction  for  the 
student  teachers.  For  the  pupils,  it  is  very  practical, 
teaching  them  how  to  meet  and  overcome  the  problems  of 
every  day  life. 

SCIENCE. 

The  Seventh  Grade  devoted  the  early  part  of  the  fall 
to  the  study  of  the  butterfly,  the  cocoon,  the  chrysalis,  etc., 
making  frequent  excursions  to  the  alfalfa  fields  for  the 
butterflies,  to  the  cabbage  patch  for  the  caterpillars,  and  to 
the  trees  and  weeds  for  cocoons.  In  the  Sloyd  room,  the 
boys  made  the  little  hoard  cases  for  drying  the  butterflies 
which  are  to  be  mounted  in  glass  for  our  school  museum. 
Their  study  of  butterflies  and  moths  was  much  broadened 
by  the  kindness  of  one  of  the  ladies  of  Greeley,  who  gave 
the  students  the  benefit  and  inspiration  of  her  large  collec- 
tion gathered  from  all  over  the  world. 

Their  search  among  the  trees  of  the  campus  for  co- 
coons aroused  an  interest  in  the  trees  themselves.  Draw- 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


99 


ings  were  made  of  the  trees  in  their  fall  and  winter  dress ; 
the  leaves  and  hark  were  studied.  They  made  long  trips  to 
trees  in  the  vicinity  and  one  sturdy  cotton  wood  along  an 
irrigating  ditch  was  sacrificed  for  a cross  section.  Of  the 
varieties  of  trees  on  our  campus  the  pupils  know  almost  all. 

When  the  days  became  too  cold  for  out-door  work,  the 
teachers  constructed  a windlass  and  began  experiments  in 
the  first  principles  of  physics.  The  students  suggested 
many  improvements  for  assisting,  or  making  easier  the 
pulling  of  each  other  by  means  of  the  windlass  and  rope ; 
one  said,  “Make  the  handle  longer  and  it  will  go  better.” 
Another,  “Make  the  axle  smaller  and  I can  pull  more  boys.” 
“If  we  had  a handle  on  each  end  of  the  axle,  one  up  and 
one  down,  we  could  pull  twice  as  many  boys.”  These 
suppositions  were  all  proven  by  changing  the  windlass  as 
directed.  They  soon  suggested  that  the  lever  and  pulleys 
were  also  used  to  assist  in  the  moving  of  loads.  All  their 
suppositions  were  proven,  by  their  own  experiments,  to  be 
either  true  or  false.  While  they  were  studying  four  mov- 
able pulleys,  I asked  the  class  one  day  which  they  would 
use — a windlass  or  pulleys — to  move  800  pounds  up  a cliff 
100  feet  high,  with  100  pounds  force.  They  were  divided 
in  opinion.  Our  lazy  boy  said  that  he  would  use  pulleys 
and  would  fasten  100  pounds  on  the  end  of  the  rope  to 
make  it  pull  up  the  remainder  of  the  load.  This  was  not 
fully  accepted  by  the  class  when  the  time  for  closing  came. 
In  the  next  recitation,  one  of  the  boys  was  ready  to  down 
the  easy-going  lad  by  proving  that  he  would  have  to  drop 


100 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


his  weighted  rope  400  feet  in  order  to  pull  the  load  up  100 
feet. 

The  arithmetic  lessons  were  correlated  with  the  work, 
teaching  proportion  at  this  time.  All  sorts  of  examples 
were  used,  based  on  such  principles  as — 

Weight  is  to  power  as  power-arm  is  to  radius  of  axle. 

Force  is  to  load  as  distance  traversed  by  load  is  to  dis- 
tance traversed  by  power. 

INDUSTRIAL  WORK. 

In  industrial  work,  perhaps  a list  of  some  of  the  arti- 
cles of  the  year’s  work  would  give  an  idea  of  what  we  are 
trying  to  do  with  our  hands  and  brains  working  together. 

In  the  Sloyd  work,  the  Eighth  Grade  are  making  a 
plain,  solid  mahogany  table  in  the  William  Morris  style, 
but  designed  by  themselves.  The  Seventh  Grade  boys  have 
designed  and  are  making  a Dutch  piano  stool  of  mahogany. 

Both  pieces  will  have  covers,  designed  and  woven  by 
the  girls  of  the  room.  They  will  also  weave  a rug  of  rag 
carpet  for  the  floor  beneath.  On  the  table  will  stand  sev- 
eral pieces  of  pottery  molded,  decorated,  glazed  and  fired 
by  the  students.  Also  a book-rack,  paper  knives  and  a 
wooden  tray  carved  by  the  boys. 

In  the  Eighth  Grade  reading  class  they  have  been 
studying  “The  Nuerenburg  Stove.”  This  they  are  now 
dramatizing.  The  boys  who  are  in  the  printing  group  will 
print  the  book  for  the  class.  Another  boy  will  make  the 
wood  cuts  for  it.  In  the  drawing  lesson  the  whole  class  are 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


101 


making  designs  for  the  cover  of  the  book  which  will  be 
bound  and  completed  by  them. 

SUBJECTS  TAUGHT  IN  THE  SEVENTH  AND 
EIGHTH  GRADES. 

Reading,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  Grammar,  Spelling, 
Language,  Literature,  History,  Geography,  German, 
Sloyd,  Sewing,  Cooking,  Printing,  Weaving,  Pottery, 
Moulding  and  other  industrial  and  constructive  work,  Mu- 
sic, Drawing,  Modeling,  Nature  Study. 


102 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


HIGH  SCHOOL 

*By  Royal  W.  Bullock. 


FUNCTION  OF  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

'TpHE  High  School  has  a function  above  and  beyond  that 
* of  fitting  for  college  or  higher  institutions  of  learn- 
ing. Its  greater  function  is  to  vitalize,  realize,  and  utilize 
the  knowledge  acquired  in  earlier  years  and  to  convert  it 
more  fully  into  power.  The  High  School  is  now  “the  peo- 
ple’s university.”  It  must  prepare  for  life  rather  than  for 
college,  and  preparation  for  life  implies,  not  only  knowl- 
edge the  implement  of  power,  but  shill  in  applying  knowl- 
edge to  the  accomplishment  of  worthy  ends. 

AIM  OF  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

It  is  the  aim  of  the  High  School  to  afford  a training 
that  shall  be  at  once  practical,  disciplinary  and  cultural. 
It  is  believed  that  these  three  aims  are  not  antagonistic,  but 
that  any  subject  can  and  should  be  so  taught  that  practical 
knowledge  will  be  gained,  the  mental  processes  be  quick- 
ened and  strengthened,  and  a culture  result  that  comes 
from  deeper  and  wider  interests  and  from  “such  an  ac- 

*The  articles  on  English,  Mathematics,  Reading,  Physical  Cul- 
ture, Music  and  Drawing  were  written  by  the  special  Supervisors. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


103 


quaintance  with  life  as  is  needed  for  social  efficiency  or 
morality.” 

TEACHERS. 

The  teaching  of  the  High  School  is  divided  between 
the  Normal  School  Faculty  and  the  Seniors  in  training. 
At  present  twenty-one  Seniors  and  eight  Faculty  members 
are  teaching  High  School  classes.  This  arrangement  per- 
mits the  Seniors  to  profit  both  by  observation  and  experi- 
ence. 

In  addition  to  the  supervision  of  the  Superintendent 
of  the  Training  School  and  the  Principal  of  the  High 
School,  the  Senior  is  given  the  direct  assistance  of  the  head 
of  the  department  in  which  he  works. 

The  weekly  meeting  of  High  School  teachers  and  su- 
pervisors is  another  source  of  inspiration  and  help.  Such 
topics  as  “The  Psychology  of  Adolescence,”  “Student 
Ideals,”  “The  Social  Life,”  “The  Didactics,”  of  special 
subjects,  etc.,  form  the  basis  of  discussion.  Recently  a 
series  of  conferences  on  “The  Teaching  of  Latin,”  “The 
Teaching  of  Biology,”  and  ten  or  twelve  other  subjects,  has 
resulted  in  great  good. 

EQUIPMENT. 

High  School  students  have  full  use  of  the  various  lab- 
oratories of  the  Normal  School,  and  of  the  studios  and  li- 
brary, on  the  same  conditions  as  the  Normal  students. 
They  are  given  special  instruction  in  the  use  of  the  library 


104 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


and  are  enabled  to  use  its  fifteen  thousand  volumes  intelli- 
gently and  effectively. 

GENERAL  NOTES. 

The  Shakespearean  Literary  Society  is  organized,  offi- 
cered, and  controlled  by  the  students,  and  offers  oppor- 
tunity for  practice  in  literary,  dramatic,  forensic,  and 
musical  work.  It  meets  weekly  at  2:15  Friday  after- 
noons. 

“The  Normal  High  School  Cadets”  is  a military  com- 
pany, organized,  officered,  uniformed  and  managed  by  the 
High  School  boys. 

The  school  is  a member  of  the  “Weld  County  High 
School  League,”  and  meets  the  other  schools  of  the  County 
once  a year  for  athletic  and  literary  contests. 

From  time  to  time  the  students  are  addressed  by  Su- 
perintendents and  Principals  of  other  schools  and  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Normal  School  Faculty,  on  subjects  of  educa- 
tional and  ethical  importance. 

Tuition  is  free.  A library  fee  of  $2.00  per  semester 
is  charged  for  the  use  of  books. 

ENGLISH. 

The  teaching  of  English  in  three-fold  in  its  purpose : 
it  endeavors,  first,  to  cultivate  correct  speech ; secondly,  it 
aims  to  develop  the  power  of  expression;  and  thirdly,  it 
strives  to  bring  to  the  pupil’s  knowledge,  and  thereby  to 
his  appreciation,  the  best  literary  products.  To  achieve 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


105 


these  three  purposes  is  the  measure  of  the  work  we  set  for 
ourselves  in  our  High  School  Department. 

Grammar  is  presented  both  formally  and  practically : 
practically,  in  that  care  is  given  to  the  language  employed 
by  pupils  in  the  class  room  and  in  written  work ; formally, 
in  the  study  of  a text-hook  because  they  are  now  beginning 
to  ask  the  why  of  constructions.  The  endeavor  is  con- 
stantly made  to  secure  criticism  of  incorrect  speech  from 
the  young  people  themselves;  in  this  manner  the  better 
trained  half  of  the  class  help  the  less  fortunate,  and  the  in- 
different student  is  spurred  by  the  exact.  Attention  is 
focussed  upon  correct  grammatical  usage  in  all  composi- 
tion. 

Composition  is  given  prominence  because  it  is  the 
means  of  expression.  Since  geniuses  rarely  obtrude  them- 
selves among  us  we  do  not  attempt  to  make  literary  writ- 
ers ; on  the  other  hand,  we  are  content  if  we  can  bring  the 
youth  to  say  clearly  and  forcibly  what  is  in  his  mind. 
Daily  conversation,  which  is  simply  oral  composition,  is  the 
means  of  securing  to  any  individual  so  large  a means  of 
pleasure  and  profit  that  the  pupil  should  be  taught  to  grasp 
its  opportunities ; the  orderly  and  forceful  arrangement  of 
his  ideas  in  writing  is  so  frequent  a demand  upon  every  in- 
telligent citizen  that  the  pupil  should  be  helped  to  meet  this 
obligation.  To  these  ends  the  arrangement  of  matter  in 
recitation  is  cultivated,  and  a weekly  paragraph  upon  some 
subject  of  interest  is  required.  This  demand  for  the  par- 
agraph, at  the  beginning  of  the  second  semester  of  the  third 


106 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


year  is  increased  to  two  each  week.  The  aim  of  the  compo- 
sition of  the  first  two  years  is  to  secure  clear  and  correct  ex- 
pression; the  large  matters  of  literary  form  are  developed 
during  the  third  year. 

While  grammar  and  composition  afford  the  technical 
training  of  English  study,  its  stimulating  and  broadening 
phase  is  the  thoughtful  reading  of  worthy  hooks.  The 
Iliad , Ivanhoe , Macbeth , Julius  Caesar , The  Merchant  of 
Venice — each  has  its  peculiar  function  in  enlarging  the 
youth’s  view,  in  widening  his  experience,  and  in  deepening 
his  interest  in  men.  We  endeavor  not  only  to  interest  and 
stimulate,  but  also  to  form  a deep  love  for  great  literature 
so  that  for  all  his  future  the  student  will  have  within  him 
this  perennial  source  of  joy  and  growth.  It  is  this  preg- 
nant third  of  English  instruction  that  furnishes  the  teach- 
er’s touchstone,  demanding,  as  it  does,  all  the  fineness,  in- 
sight, and  depth  of  which  her  nature  is  capable. 

Grammar,  Composition,  Literature — all  these  sub- 
jects with  their  varied  exactions  and  opportunities,  are 
comprised  within  that  simple-sounding,  lightly  spoken 
term,  “High  School  English.” 

READING. 

Good  oral  reading  necessitates  a comprehension  of  the 
thought  of  an  author,  and  the  ability  to  express  that  thought 
effectively  by  means  of  the  vocal  organs. 

Every  definite  thought  relation  has  a definite  vocal 
form  for  its  expression,  e.  g.,  phrasing  is  the  voice  form 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


107 


that  shows  the  relation  of  the  modifiers  to  the  principal 
clause.  As  the  study  of  literature  is  a study  of  the  construc- 
tion of  thought  forms  and  an  analysis  of  thought  content, 
the  vocal  interpretation  of  a piece  of  literature  by  a pupil, 
measures  his  appreciation  of  the  thought  and  enables  the 
teacher  to  discover,  and  correct  his  misinterpretation. 
Moreover  the  spirit  of  literature  is  revealed  by  the  voice  in 
a more  subtle  and  powerful  manner  than  by  any  other  mode 
of  expression. 

A reading  class  should  do  three  things  for  its  individ- 
ual member:  First,  arouse  the  intellect  to  image  clearly; 
second,  stimulate  the  emotions  to  feel  the  significance  of 
the  selection ; and  third,  exercise  the  will  by  furnishing  an 
occasion  for  moving  or  convincing  others.  Besides  this 
regular  reading  class  work,  our  High  School  affords  indi- 
vidual training  on  chosen  selections  for  Literary  Society  or 
special  occasions,  and  careful  attention  is  given  to  interpre- 
tation of  the  Drama.  The  response  of  body  and  voice  to 
these  more  intense  states,  secures  naturalness,  and  freedom 
of  expression. 


PHYSICAL  CULTURE. 

The  work  done  in  Physical  Culture  is  both  formative 
and  reformative.  It  aims  to  attain  and  maintain  for  indi- 
vidual students,  strong,  healthful  bodies,  well  under  con- 
trol of  the  mind. 

Pupils  are  given  individual  attention  and  special  ex- 
ercises to  overcome  their  particular  physical  defects.  FTar- 


108 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


row  chests  and  round  shoulders  are  the  most  common  diffi- 
culties. Strong  breathing  exercises,  with  practice  for 
strengthening  the  muscles  of  the  thorax,  train  the  body  to 
erectness  and  increase  the  lung  capacity.  Other  exercises 
affect  the  bearing  and  carriage,  enabling  the  different  parts 
of  the  body  to  act  in  harmony.  Still  other  groups  of  exer- 
cises aim  at  development  of  bodily  expression. 

Besides  this  formal  class  work,  interest  in  all  out-of- 
door  sports  is  encouraged,  and  habits  of  recreation  are 
formed,  for  we  believe  these  habits  once  formed  will  con- 
tinue through  life  affording  pleasure  and  profit. 

A girl’s  Field  Day  is  held  in  May,  at  which,  after  long 
practice,  the  girls  contest  in  such  games  as  basket  ball, 
tennis,  hoop  rolling,  tether  tennis,  archery,  quoits,  races, 
etc. 


MODERN  LANGUAGE. 

The  conversational  method  is  used  to  introduce  the 
student  to  the  modern  languages,  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
conversation  itself,  but  because  this  seems  the  quickest, 
easiest,  and  most  interesting  way  for  him  to  master  the 
vocabulary  and  the  Grammar  of  the  language.  Intelligent 
and  fluent  reading  of  the  language  is  the  real  aim  of  the 
work.  As  soon  as  possible,  the  student  is  allowed  to  read 
the  literary  masterpieces  of  the  language,  and  to  study 
them  as  such.  Oral  and  written  composition  is  constantly 
used  in  the  earlier  stages  of  the  study,  but  in  an  informal 
manner.  Frequent  comparison  with  the  Grammar  and 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


109 


Literature  of  his  own  language  broadens  his  knowledge  of 
both  languages. 


LATIN. 

It  is  believed  that  even  “First  Year  Latin,”  properly 
taught,  has  a distinct  and  immediate  value  in  its  effect  upon 
the  pupil’s  English,  besides  the  more  distant  value  of  pre- 
paring him  to  read  Latin.  Every  new  word  is  a study  in 
etymology;  every  construction,  a study  in  English  Gram- 
mar; and  every  translation,  an  exercise  in  English  Com- 
position. In  his  later  reading  of  Classic  Literature  the 
student  is  expected,  not  only  to  perform  the  mental  gym- 
nastics necessary  to  secure  a translation  of  the  text ; but  to 
become  familiar  with  the  life,  the  thought,  and  the  feeling 
of  the  people  who  produced  this  Literature.  He  seeks  the 
culture  value  of  the  subject,  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the 
term. 


SCIENCE.  • 

A brief  sketch  of  the  work  being  done  in  the  Ninth 
Grade  Biology  class  this  year  will  illustrate  the  general 
method  followed  in  Science  work. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  the  class  after  free  dis- 
cussion, decided  upon  the  following  as  their  general  aim 
for  the  year:  “To  become  more  familiar  with  the  animal 
life  in  and  around  Greeley.”  Their  three  main  sources  of 
information  in  the  order  of  their  value,  they  concluded,) 
must  be : Observation  of  animals  themselves  either  wild  or 


110 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


in  captivity;  conversation  with  observers,  including  of 
course,  their  teacher ; and  the  reading  of  books. 

They  next  decided  that  they  could  accomplish  more 
by  dividing  up  the  work  in  some  way  and  finally  formed 
themselves  into  four  groups  or  committees,  one  for  the 
study  of  insects,  one  for  birds,  one  for  water  animals,  and 
one  for  land  animals.  Each  student  joined  the  committee 
that  seemed  to  offer  the  best  opportunity  for  interesting  and 
profitable  work  for  him.  Each  committee  then  elected  a 
chairman  and  arranged  for  sub-committees  or  individuals 
to  observe,  study,  and  report  on,  some  particular  animal. 

As  arranged  by  the  students  after  some  discussion  and 
several  trials,  the  further  course  of  procedure  is  now  as 
follows : The  individual  student  contrives  his  own  means 
for  studying  his  animal,  verifies  his  observations  by  con- 
sulting the  best  authorities  at  his  command,  and  prepares 
a written  report  which  is  handed  to  the  teacher  several 
days  before  it  is  to  be  presented  to  the  class.  The  teacher 
edits  the  report  and  advises  with  the  student  as  to  the  best 
way  of  presenting  it  to  the  class.  When  the  student  re- 
ports to  the  class  he  is,  for  the  time  being,  the  teacher  in 
full  charge  and  is  responsible  not  only  for  teaching  his 
subject,  but  for  attending  to  it  that  the  other  students  know 
and  understand  what  he  has  given.  To  this  end  he  illus- 
trates his  “talk”  by  numerous  drawings,  mounted  speci- 
mens, skeletons,  charts,  outlines,  and  sometimes  live  ani- 
mals. He  then  hears  the  questions  of  the  class,  answering 
them  as  far  as  possible  and  noting  those  he  can  not  answer, 
for  further  study.  Lastly  he  questions  them  to  determine 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


Ill 


whether  or  not  they  are  clear  on  the  principal  points  of  the 
subject.  This  constitutes  the  “recitation”  of  a student  and 
he  usually  recites  for  a period  of  from  fifteen  to  forty  min- 
utes. 

Among  the  animals  already  studied  by  actual  observa- 
tion and  reported  on  in  this  way,  are,  the  pocket  gopher, 
jack  rabbit,  cotton  tail,  prairie  dog,  muskrat,  salamander, 
etc.,  and  several  birds,  as  the  horned  lark,  black  bird,  etc. 
Many  other  animals  reported  on  had  been  observed  previ- 
ously by  many  members  of  the  class,  although  studied  at 
the  time  from  museum  specimens.  Among  these  are  the 
coyote,  eagle,  snowy  owl,  and  others. 

Permanent  wall  charts  for  various  purposes  are  made 
by  the  class  from  time  to  time,  using  rubber  type  on  heavy 
Manilla  paper.  Another  feature  of  the  work  is  the  “obser- 
vation book”  in  which  any  student  may  at  any  time  record 
his  observations  of  animal  life,  signing  and  dating  it 
properly  so  that  he  may  be  called  upon  by  others  to  explain 
and  amplify  his  written  statement.  This  also  serves  to  date 
events,  as  the  appearance  of  certain  birds,  their  time  of 
nesting,  etc. 

The  general  results  of  the  class  work  thus  far  have 
been  more  than  satisfactory,  and  it  seems  that  aside  from 
the  scientific  knowledge  and  habit  of  observation  which  the 
student  would  naturally  secure  from  this  subject,  he  gains 
by  this  method  a valuable  training  in  setting  his  own  tasks, 
devising  his  own  means,  collecting  his  own  resources,  and 
accomplishing  the  aim  he  himself  has  set  up. 


112 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


The  study  of  Botany  and  Physiography  is  pursued  on 
the  same  general  plan.  A close  study  of  local  phenomena 
furnishes  data  from  which  the  student  may  reason  in  the 
solution  of  problems  relating  to  distant  localities.  Fre- 
quent excursions  form  the  basis  of  many  subsequent  reci- 
tations. 


The  students  in  Physics  apply  their  knowledge  to  the 
needs  of  the  school  by  adjusting  electric  hells,  arranging 


telephone  and  light  wires,  managing  the  stereopticon,  etc. 
They  endeavor  to  keep  up  to  date  by  reading  the  current 
scientific  magazines.  A complete  wireless  telegraphy  out- 
fit is  managed  by  the  students  with  satisfactory  results  for 
short  distances. 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


113 


MANUAL  TRAINING. 

In  the  Manual  Training  department  the  High  School 
does  not  aim  to  do  the  work  of  a Trade  School,  but  as  the 
name  indicates,  to  train  the  hand  to  obey  the  mind  readily 
and  effectively,  and  furthermore  to  train  the  mind  to  con- 
ceive clearly,  plan  purposefully,  and  execute  by  persistent 
application.  To  this  end  the  student  is  encouraged  to  pre- 
pare original  designs  of  articles  suited  to  his  own  needs, 
and  is  held  responsible  for  the  feasibility  of  the  design  and 
the  genuine  merit  of  the  completed  work.  It  thus  happens 
that  most  of  the  work  done  by  the  students  is  upon  articles 
which  they  desire  for  their  own  immediate  use.  Among 
the  pieces  thus  made  are  bookcases,  bookshelves,  collar 
boxes,  tool  boxes,  chairs,  ornamental  tables,  checkerboards, 
crokinole  boards,  photograph  frames,  and  numerous  arti- 
cles of  bent  iron  work.  Inlaying,  veneering,  and  pyrog- 
raphy  are  freely  used  in  decorating  the  wood  work.  The 
making  of  apparatus  for  experiments,  mountings  for  maps 
and  charts,  frames  and  cases  for  specimens,  bulletin  boards, 
etc.,  correlates  the  work  of  this  department  with  the  other 
work  of  the  school. 

In  the  Domestic  Economy  Department  the  same 
breadth  of  purpose  obtains.  In  their  athletic  work  the  girls 
wear  gymnasium  suits  made  by  the  sewing  class,  and  in- 
vited guests  frequently  enjoy  a course  dinner  planned, 
bought,  prepared,  and  served  by  one  of  the  cooking  classes. 


114 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


TAXIDERMY. 

Taxidermy  is  a subject  deserving  more  general  recog- 
nition than  it  now  receives  in  High  Schools.  The  work  is 
an  interesting  form  of  manual  training,  developing  deft- 
ness, skill,  and  dexterity  in  the  highest  degree;  an  adjunct 
of  science,  demanding  accurate  knowledge  of  animal  forms 
and  habits ; and  a branch  of  art,  comparable  to  painting  or 
sculpture. 


The  novice  has  a vague  impression  that  a fox  skin 
sewed  up  and  poured  full  of  sawdust,  will  take  on  the  form 
and  semblance  of  the  original  wearer  of  the  skin.  This  is 
far  from  true  as  the  early  attempts  of  many  students  will 
prove.  To  properly  remove  a skin,  make  a frame  of  suit- 
able shape  and  size,  form  a body  upon  this  frame,  round 


115 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 

out  the  skin  to  natural  proportions,  select  and  fix  suitable 
eyes,  and  give  to  the  finished  specimen  a lifelike  poise  and 
pose,  requires  the  deftness  of  a skilled  workman,  the  know- 
ledge of  a naturalist,  and  the  constructive  imagination  of 
an  artist. 

Abundant  practical  use  is  found  for  the  finished 
product,  by  supplying  cabinets  or  decorating  the  home  with 
Nature's  beautiful  forms.  The  present  High  School  class 
has  added  materially  to  our  museum,  shipped  specimens  to 
the  Chicago  schools  in  exchange  for  articles  from  their  lo- 
cality, and  is  now  preparing  an  exhibit  of  work  for  the  St. 
Louis  Fair. 


MATHEMATICS. 

The  High  School  work  in  Mathematics  consists  of  the 
usual  elementary  work  in  Algebra  and  Geometry.  The 
predominant  aim  in  both  subjects  is  to  lead  the  pupil  to  ob- 
serve, think,  judge  and  act,  rapidly  and  accurately.  The 
pupil  is  encouraged  and  urged  to  take  the  initiative  in  his 
work  and  to  discover  original  proofs  for  truths  he  knows, 
and,  if  possible,  to  discover  new  truths.  To  this  end  the 
work  is  presented  to  the  pupil  in  such  a manner  that  it  is 
rational,  sensible,  and  real  to  him.  All  mere  memorizing 
and  repeating  of  phrases,  meaningless  to  the  pupil,  is 
avoided.  A strong  effort  is  made  to  cultivate,  along  with 
accuracy  of  logic,  a clear,  concise,  and  forcible  means  of 
expression,  and  a careful  and  accurate  use  of  terms,  thus 


116 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


closely  correlating  the  work  in  Mathematics  with  the  work 
in  English. 

HISTORY. 

“In  society  as  it  exists  today,  the  dominant  note  run- 
ning through  all  of  our  struggles  and  problems,  is  eco- 
nomic.” 

The  study  of  man  in  society  is  deservedly  receiving 
more  and  more  attention.  The  High  School  course  in  His- 
tory should  not  only  be  a means  of  culture  but  should  fit 
the  student  to  reason  from  cause  to  effect  and  enable  him  to 
master  present  day  sociological  problems,  whether  studied 
formally  in  school  or  encountered  practically  in  the  busi- 
ness of  life. 

To  accomplish  this  aim,  the  student  in  the  Ninth 
Grade  follows  the  evolution  of  the  race  and  the  develop- 
ment of  civilization  as  a whole,  by  a liberal  course  in  Gen- 
eral History. 

In  the  Tenth  Grade,  English  History  is  studied  with 
special  reference  to  the  growth  of  institutions,  its  relation 
to  American  History,  and  as  a type  of  National  develop- 
ment. 

The  Eleventh  Grade  work  is  an  intensive  study  of 
American  institutional  growth  and  a review  of  Civics. 

In  all  this  history  work  the  student  is  expected  not 
only  to  learn  the  facts  of  History  but  to  be  able  to  organize 
and  interpret  those  facts,  in  the  light  of  knowledge  ac- 
quired. The  method  in  detail,  is  largely  that  of  Mace  and 
of  Hinsdale.  The  lessons  are  assigned  by  topics,  which  are 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


117 


worked  out  in  the  library,  and  the  stereopticon  is  used 
freely  in  illustrating  the  subject. 

MUSIC. 

Pupils  who  have  had  no  previous  training  will  have 
daily  instruction  during  the  first  year  in  the  Elements  of 
Music  with  special  attention  to  the  following  items : Key- 
relationship,  tone  quality,  rythm,  simple  forms,  pronuncia- 
tion, breath  control,  voice  training,  ear  training,  expression, 
and  notation. 

Those  who  are  prepared  for  it  will  he  assigned  to 
classes  doing  such  advanced  work  as  they  may  properly  un- 
dertake. It  is  the  intention  to  grade  the  work  according 
to  the  needs  of  the  students,  offering  advantage  in  Music  as 
advanced  as  their  preparation  may  warrant. 

DRAWING  IN  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

It  is  not  the  aim  to  make  artists  in  this  work,  but  to 
develop  artistic  feeling  and  encourage  original  thought. 
Art  knowledge  is  of  value  to  the  individual  and  the  country 
at  large.  To  the  individual  it  means  culture  and  to  the 
nation  it  saves  impoverishment. 

The  drawing  in  High  School  consists  of  the  study  of 
design,  color,  composition  and  perspective.  The  study  of 
plant  growth  and  adaptation  to  design  is  studied  in  Fall 
and  Spring  terms.  Charcoal  studies  from  still  life  in  light 
and  shade  and  consideration  of  arrangement  of  drawing 


118 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL, 


upon  the  paper.  Balance  and  Rhythm  are  studied,  using 
abstract  spots  as  elements  of  design.  A study  is  made  of 
historic  examples,  color  values  and  color  harmonies,  cast 
drawing  from  head,  and  sketching  from  life ; pen  and  ink 
drawing  from  still  life  groups,  and  original  designing  for 
wrought  iron,  furniture,  and  textiles. 

COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

1.  36  weeks  in  a year’s  work. 

2.  22  recitations  per  week  required. 

3.  792  recitations  in  one  year’s  work. 

4.  18  recitations  count  one  “point.” 

5.  44  points  in  a year’s  work. 

6.  132  points  required  to  graduate. 

7.  Figures  below  in  parenthesis  denote  number  of  re- 
citations per  week  in  the  subject. 

8.  “R”  denotes  required  subjects. 

9.  “E”  denotes  elective  subjects. 

10.  In  order  to  take  full  work,  pupil  must  take  all  the 
required  work  of  each  year,  and  elect  enough  to  make  22 
recitations  per  week. 

NINTH  GRADE. 


Literature  and  English (4)  R. 

General  History (4)  E. 

Algebra (4)  R, 

Botany (4)  E. 

Reading  and  Physical  Culture (2)  R. 


119 


GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


Latin (4) 

German (4) 

French (4) 

Spanish (4) 

Sloyd  (4) 

Cooking (4) 

Sewing (4) 

Art (4) 

Library  Work  (limited  to  four  students)  ....  (4) 

Taxidermy (4) 

Vocal  Music (4) 


TENTH  GRADE. 


Literature  and  English (3) 

English  History (4) 

Algebra  and  Geometry (4) 

Zoology — Physiology (4) 

Reading  and  Physical  Culture (2) 

Latin  (4) 

German (4) 

French (4) 

Spanish (4) 

Sloyd  (4) 

Cooking  (4) 

Sewing  (4) 

Art (4) 

Library  Work  (limited  to  four  students)  ....  (4) 

Taxidermy (4) 

Vocal  Music (4) 


ELEVENTH  GRADE. 


Literature  and  English (3) 

American  History  and  Government (4) 


E.  one. 


• E.  one. 


R. 

E. 

R. 

E. 

R. 


E.  one. 


► E.  one. 


R. 

R. 


120  STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL,  GREELEY,  COLORADO. 


Solid  Geometry  (4)  E. 

Physics  (5)  E. 

Reading  and  Physical  Culture (2)  R. 

Chemistry (4)  E. 

Physiography (4)  E. 

Latin  (4) 

German (4) 

French (4)  E.  one. 

Spanish (4) 

Sloyd  (4) 

Cooking  (4) 

Sewing  (4) 

Art (4)  - E.  one. 


Library  Work  (limited  to  four  students)  . . . . (4) 


Taxidermy (4) 

Vocal  Music (4)  - 


OFFERED  WORK. 

Besides  the  broad  group  of  elective  studies  open  to  the 
student,  he  may  in  the  last  two  years,  instead  of  an  elective, 
substitute  “offered  work.”  This  means  that  any  student 
having  the  originality,  ambition,  and  ability  to  do  so,  may 
plan  a year  or  half  year’s  work  in  any  line  of  research,  in- 
vestigation, or  occupation ; and  if  a committee  of  the  High 
School  Faculty  are  convinced  of  the  feasibility  and  value 
of  the  plan  as  set  forth  by  the  student  in  a written  syllabus 
or  outline,  he  is  allowed  to  pursue  that  work  and  is  given 
credit  for  what  is  accomplished. 


W.  F.  ROBINSON  PTG.  CO.,  DENVER. 


